Blow for Stormers, Boks as Evan Roos suffers suspected knee injury

The three-Test Bok was making just his second appearance since he returned from international duty in November but could be sidelined for an extended period.

Roos was out for two months with a rib injury that he sustained against England in November and made his return off the bench in the Champions Cup pool stage match against Clermont.

He scored 90 seconds into his return and was elevated to the starting XV against Ulster in the URC on Friday.

However, his return to the starting lineup lasted just 22 minutes as he limped off the pitch after a breakdown collision where he was croc-rolled out of the ruck by - of all people - fellow Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen.

“I’m still not 100% sure what the extent of the injury is, but it’s not a small one,” Stormers coach John Dobson said after the match. “I just hope it doesn’t impact his ambitions at national level. I would be surprised if he plays for the Stormers again this season.”

It was a tough night overall for the Stormers, who lost the match 35-5, with Andre Hugo Venter scoring their only points at the Kingspan.

Dobson will be tallying up the toll the injuries took on his side, with flanker Junior Pokomela and full-back Clayton Blommetjies withdrawing from the starting lineup before the clash.

Hooker JJ Kotze was forced off the pitch just two minutes into the encounter, and flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis left at the same time Roos did.

Springbok hooker Scarra Ntubeni was making his return from injury and came on far earlier than expected when he replaced Kotze, but he too did not finish the game as Venter would come on in his place shortly after half time.

Luckily, the Stormers do have a break with their next URC encounter taking place on February 18 against the Bulls.