Stormers back-row behemoth Evan Roos has been named the Vodacom United Rugby Championship’s Next-Gen Star of the Season.
This award is open only to players younger than 23 years at the start of the season and who have earned no more than five international caps at that point, with a media panel voting for the winner. Players are also required to have made a minimum of nine URC appearances to qualify.
Roos (22), has had a standout campaign for the Stormers, proving himself a destructive ball-carrier with more successful carries and defenders beaten than any other player in the competition.
“It is a huge honour to get this award, I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me this season,” he said. “My family is a great source of strength and pride for me and everyone involved in the Stormers set-up has been amazing as well.
“I am so proud to play for this team and our incredible fans every week.”
His performances have also led to growing calls for him to be given a chance to shine in the Springbok jersey.
He was overlooked for the first of two national alignment camps in April but made himself impossible to ignore with his subsequent displays, and was called up for the second indaba last month ahead of the July Tests against Wales.
Following a win over Glasgow Warriors in which Roos made a match-leading 10 successful carries, beat five defenders and scored a late try, SA’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus tweeted: “Well done Evan Roos, that’s how you react to disappointment and make sure you can’t be ignored!”
It seems certain Test honours will soon follow for Roos, who carried his regular-season form into the playoffs by putting in a Man of the Match performance against Edinburgh in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
He was also this week named in the official URC Dream Team along with four of Stormers teammates Leolin Zas, Seabeleo Senatla, Damian Willemse and Warrick Gelant.
#VodacomURC – @mark_keohane and @Zels77 expect @THESTORMERS to clinch a spot in the @Vodacom #URC final when they take on @UlsterRugby this Saturday.
Will the Cape side make two in a row against Ulster?
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) June 9, 2022
