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Jonathan Roche, who is rumored to be exploring his options after this season concludes, has been a late withdrawal from the Stormers’ starting lineup for their upcoming United Rugby Championship match against Ulster at the DHL Stadium.
Stormers’ head coach John Dobson had already implemented several changes in his earlier team announcement, and now must present a different midfield combination than originally intended. The specifics regarding the extent of Roche’s injury have not been revealed.
Captain Ruhan Nel will now join forces with young talent Markus Muller, who takes over the No.12 position left by Roche, who is reportedly garnering interest from Irish provinces.
Roche holds Irish eligibility, being considered a possible asset to address Ireland’s aging midfield lineup. The 23-year-old is qualified through his paternal grandmother.
Still in his teenage years, Muller was among six uncapped players included in Rassie Erasmus’ 37-member Nations Championship squad earlier this week.
This marks the second occasion Muller has stepped into Roche’s role, with the 19-year-old having played in last week’s match against the Scarlets, which saw the Stormers victorious with a score of 52-40. Muller participated for the full 80 minutes but did not score during the match.
This was only his second outing for the Stormers, having made history as the youngest debutant in the franchise’s records when he entered the game as a substitute for 14 minutes at the age of 18 years, 9 months, and 19 days.
If things go as planned, Muller might soon accomplish a rare feat by also becoming the youngest-ever debutant for the Springboks. Should he play in any of the upcoming three Tests against Italy, France, and Ireland next month, he will surpass Frans Steyn’s 20-year-old record.
