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Jonathan Roche, who is reportedly assessing his options after the end of the season, is a late withdrawal from the Stormers’ starting line-up for this weekend United Rugby Championship conflict against Ulster at DHL Stadium.
Stormers Boss John Dobson had already made a number of changes to his original squad selection, and was now forced to field a different midfield pairing than planned. The nature and severity of Roche’s injury was not disclosed.
Captain Ruhan Nel will now be partnered by young prodigy Markus Muller, who wears the number 12 shirt vacated by Roche, who is said to be attracting attention Provinces of Ireland.
Roche is Ireland capped and is seen as a potential solution to Ireland’s aging midfield. The 23-year-old is entitled through his paternal grandmother.
Still a teenager, Muller was one of six uncapped players included in the Rassie Erasmus 37-man squad Nations Championship team earlier this week.
It is the second time Muller has stepped in for Roche, with the 19-year-old starting last week’s clash against the Scarlets, which the Stormers won 52-40. Muller played the full 80 minutes, but failed to get on the scoresheet.
It was only his second appearance for the Stormers, as he became the youngest debutant in Stormers history when he came off the bench in a 14-minute cameo at the age of 18 years, 9 months and 19 days.
Very soon, Muller could achieve a unique double by becoming the Springboks’ youngest debutant. If he plays in any of the three Tests against Italy next month, France and Ireland, he will break Frans Steyn’s twenty-year record.