Roberts happy to have joined the party as

JAMIE Roberts says linking up with the Stormers in Cape Town has been like walking into a party in a bar.

The Wales and Lions star admits he has been taken aback by the contrast to rugby in the northern hemisphere where everything is so serious.

He has been in South Africa for just over a week now, having joined the Stormers from Bath on a five-month contract.

He will be thrown straight into the mix today when he makes his Super Rugby debut in the centre against the Hurricanes at Newlands (1305GMT).

But he’s relishing the challenge and the atmosphere he has encountered amid a squad packed with members of the Springboks’ World Cup-winning team, including captain Siya Kolisi and player of the tournament Pieter-Steph du Toit.

“I look back at my experiences in British rugby and how serious everyone is about their sport, how serious the players are,” the 33-year-old told TalkSport.

“I think it’s taken me to come here to see that.

“My first day here, it felt like I had walked into a party in a bar.

“How much energy and fun the lads were having was pretty special.

“You have got players like Siya Kolisi bringing that energy and that enjoyment.

“I just kind of feed off that. As a bit of a more seasoned, older player, to get that spark back and that love for the game is pretty special.

“I am loving being around these guys. I think there’s seven of them that were in the winning Springboks side.”

The 94-cap Roberts has seen at first hand just what a national hero back-rower Kolisi has become since lifting the World Cup.

“He is a bit of a rock star at the minute here. That’s no exaggeration,” he said.

“He walks the streets here and people are all over him.

“It’s to be expected because he’s a bit of a hero here in this country, with his story, where he’s come from and what he’s managed to achieve with the Springboks.

“He’s just a great bloke, he’s a very humble guy, very funny.