Stormers get triple boost for Sale duel

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Evan Roos is among a trio of star players returning for the Stormers in the buildup to Saturday's Investec Champions Cup clash against the Sale Sharks at Cape Town Stadium.

Speaking in a Stormers conference on Tuesday, assistant coach Norman Laker confirmed that Springbok No 8 Roos, experienced prop Sti Sithole and Englishman Ben Loader have started training with the team after long-term injuries.

Roos and Loader could make their first appearances of the season, following shoulder and knee surgery respectively, while Sithole (ankle) last played a competitive match in October against Munster in the Vodacom URC.

Loader will provide Stormers boss John Dobson with options at wing as Leolin Zas, along with playmaker Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, is doubtful to feature this week.

"Evan has started training with us, and Zas has trained on and off. It's slow but sure [on Roos]," Laker told reporters. "Sti is back in training, and Ben Loader is also training, and they'll be available."

Roos earned a recall to the Boks in the middle of last year on the back of a strong 2023-24 season for the Stormers and started in the Tests against Wales and Portugal.

"[Roos] is a very impactful player, especially if he gets the ball in his hands," Laker said. “He and Marcel [Theunissen] play a very similar type of rugby and the team gets good momentum if they get the ball.

"We've all seen what Evan can do if he gets the ball, he's scored some very impressive tries for the Stormers, sometimes running almost 50 metres. His energy on attack is great for the team."

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While addressing the concerns around Feinberg-Mngomezulu's fitness, Laker provided an update on skipper Dan du Plessis, who has been sidelined since the end of November with a knee injury.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu injured his shoulder against the Sharks on 28 December, after also leaving the field early in the Durban meeting of the coastal rivals as well as against the Lions at the close of 2024.

"Sacha didn't train this week… we still await an update on his injury and can't say whether it’s a day or a week or two," Laker said.

"Rugby's not an individual sport, it's a team sport and with Sacha out there are other guys who can put their hands up. Jean-Luc [du Plessis] showed us that in the last two games. When Sacha went off he played 60, 70-odd minutes."

"It's 50-50 if Dan goes on tour [the next two weeks]," he added. "He'll take his time when he comes back so that he is 100% fit.

"A knee injury is not nice so sometimes you rather take an extra week off or risk nine months on the sidelines."

A win on Saturday for the Stormers would breathe life into the Capetonians' EPCR playoff hopes and maintain their momentum following back-to-back wins in the URC prior to a week's break.

On the challenge this week, Laker said: "Every game in our hands at the moment is a playoff game, so it's important to get a win and we'll try our best to do so."

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

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