WATCH - The curious deal of Benjamin Loader
01/28/2025 05:45 AM
VIDEO: Ben Loader's pursuit of playing for England is back on track.
Born in Reading, a town and borough in Berkshire, England, Loader started his rugby journey at his local club.
At the young age of 15, he joined the academy of London Irish and made his professional debut on October 14, 2017, during the Challenge Cup against Edinburgh.
In 2018 he represented England in the Six Nations Under 20 Championship and made an appearance for the England XV.
Loader, who can play fullback and outside centre, joined the Stormers in 2023 after London Irish went into administration.
The utility back played all his professional rugby at London Irish before his move to Cape Town.
In the last two seasons, the 26-year-old, known for his explosive running, has thrived at the Stormers, adding another dimension to the backline.
He earned 20 caps for the South African side and scored the team's first try during last weekend's 12-36 defeat to Leinster.
The wing, whose younger brother Danny Namaso plays professional football for leading Portuguese outfit Porto, is set to return to England at the end of the season.
According to Rugbypass, Loader has signed a three-year contract with Premiership club Gloucester.
While the move has not yet been confirmed, Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson admitted the 26-year-old is on his way out the door to pursue his goal of playing for his country of birth.
*Article continues below...
"He wants to play for England. It is hard to play for England from South Africa," Dobson said after the defeat in Dublin.
The coach revealed that ever since he joined the Stormers the wing's return to England was imminent.
"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 couldn't commit to us until he knew the rest of his guys were OK.
"I think he found the London Irish thing very stressful, so it [signing for the Stormers] was always a circuit break for him."
*Article continues below...
Dobson added that despite losing a formidable player, the franchise accepted his decision.
"He said he wants to get back to England and make a bid for England, and we completely accept it.
"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."
Prior to joining the Stormers, Loader was touted to become the next star-wing in England set-up but that came to be halt with the transfer.
Whether he will cut Steve Borthwick's team remains to be seen.
But for now, he is set to become the second member of Dobson's squad to confirm that they are moving on at the end of the season. Scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies confirmed that he is off to France next season after signing for Bayonne.
Dobson is also in a fight to hold onto highly rated inside centre Wandisile Simelane, who is attracting interest from Top 14 outfit Castres, Premiership club Bristol Bears and Japanese outfit NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu.
