Dobbo explains why Loader's bags are packed

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Director of rugby John Dobson has addressed speculation around the imminent departure of the Stormers' English speedster Ben Loader.

The Stormers are reportedly set to lose the services of the 26-year-old Loader to Gloucester at the end of the season.

Last week, a RugbyPass article suggested that the ace finisher had already signed a three-year deal to play for the Premiership outfit, having spent the past two years in Cape Town.

Loader joined the Stormers after his former club, London Irish, went into administration in June 2023.

"He wants to play for England and it's hard to play for England from South Africa," Dobson told reporters on Saturday after Loader scored one of two tries in the Stormers’ 36-12 defeat by Leinster in Dublin. 

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"We've got some good youngsters coming through so it was always going to be more like a sabbatical [for Loader]. When they [London Irish] were going down we thought we liked him, and played against him twice in the Champions Cup. He said he can't commit to us until he knows the rest of his guys were OK.

“I think he found the London Irish thing very stressful, so it [joining the Stormers ] was always a circuit break for him."

"He said he wants to get back to England and make a bid for England, and we completely accept it," the Stormers coach added. "It's not like we aren't trying to – or don't want to – keep him, it was almost always the arrangement, if that makes sense."

Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images

The post Dobbo explains why Loader’s bags are packed appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.