The loss of Ben Loader should not be too big a deal for the Stormers at the end of the season.
After two years in the Mother City, the England winger is set to depart the inaugural United Rugby Championship winners, with reports linking the 26-year-old with Gloucester in the English Premiership.
His two seasons in Cape Town have been hampered by injuries, especially over crucial periods of the Stormers’ campaign.
But Loader has still produced some magical touches on the wing and the centres to show that his addition to the squad was not a poor buy. He has impressed enough to attract attention from clubs in his country of birth.
Quick hands and Ben Loader is over in the corner 🌩️🏉
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Now, he will also have the chance of fulfilling his dream of representing his country, something he has even chased while playing for the Stormers, but couldn’t get because of the selection criteria of the English.
Although the Stormers would’ve liked to keep him, Director of Rugby John Dobson knows Loader won’t be able to qualify for England if he continues plying his trade in Cape Town.
There is also an abundance of good wings in the Mother City, young and experienced, ready to take Loader’s place.
The return to action of Seabelo Senatla, coupled with Leolin Zas, Angelo Davids and Suleiman Hartzenberg, and youngsters JC Mars, Joel Leotlela, Gino Cupido and Jared Africa will provide significant cover.
Mars, although primarily a fullback, made his debut for the Stormers in the Champions Cup against Harlequins and scored a brilliant try in that match.
There will be excitement about the speed and feet of the 19-year-old Junior Springbok.
Cupido and Leotlela, currently with the Springbok Sevens Academy, were outstanding for Western Province in the Under-21 championship and made their debut in the Currie Cup for the senior side.
Explaining the Loader situation, Dobson said they knew this was only going to be a circuit break for Loader after the whole situation with his former club London Irish.
“We’ve got some good youngsters coming through, so it was always going to be more like a sabbatical for him.”
“We’ve got some good youngsters coming through, so it was always going to be more like a sabbatical for him,” Dobson said this week.
“He said he wants to get back home and make a bid for England, and we completely accept it. It’s not like we aren’t trying to or don’t want to keep him... it was almost always the arrangement (for him to go back).”
Loader will look back on a mostly successful time in Cape Town where he impressed with his pace and skills, and the ability to adapt to the running rugby the Stormers play.
He also helped out at outside centre at times, which showed he was not just a one-trick pony.
His loss won’t be felt too much by the Cape side, but he played a big role at the franchise at a time where they struggled with injuries to their outside backs.