The DHL Stormers missed Evan Roos in their loss against the Hollywoodbets Sharks on Saturday, as he was withdrawn as a precaution due to a slight groin strain/hip-pointer injury. The coaching staff did not want to risk a more serious injury in a regular league game, but noted he could have played if it were a final.
Stormers coaches and players acknowledged that Roos was missed, as his powerful ball-carrying and high work rate are key to their game plan. His late withdrawal forced a tactical reshuffle, moving Marcel Theunissen from his usual role as an impact player off the bench to the starting No. 8 position, which disrupted the team's balance.
The match against the Hollywoodbets Sharks was a game in which Roos’ ability to turn bad ball into good ball, to get the ball across the advantage line, and to better secure and protect possession by operating as a one-off runner for that purpose was glaringly absent.
"Evan is definitely someone we missed," Stormers assistant coach Rito Hlungwane said. "He is very powerful, has a high work-rate and keeps us going forward. Marcel Theunissen and Evan are very different players; Marcel is more of a finisher for us, but the late change last week forced us to swap those roles. We are hoping to really have him back this week to regain that balance."
Roos has since returned to training and is expected to be available for the team's next match, a return fixture against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday, January 31, 2026. His potential return provides a significant boost for the team looking to make amends for the recent loss.
“It was very big for us to have both Evan and Adre back in training for us (at the start of the week),” said forwards coach Rito Hlungwani.
“We obviously rate Marcel highly, but you would have noted that Marcel and Evan are very different players, and we use them differently. Marcel has been more of a finisher, so when Evan had to withdraw late last week, it forced a change of rules or approach from us.
Evan has a very powerful and high work rate. He gives us a lot of go forward, and yes, we did miss him in last week’s game, and it will be massive for us if he and Adre play on Saturday in Durban.”