Roberts has been on radar, says Pivac

WAYNE Pivac has revealed just how long Bradley Roberts has been on Wales’ radar as the Ulster hooker prepares to make his Test debut against the land of his birth.

A week ago, precious few Welsh people would have heard of Roberts, who has only made ten appearances and just one start for the Belfast-based outfit.

But Pivac has known about him for a while and about the fact he is eligible through his paternal grandmother, who hailed from Llandysul, in Ceredigion.

So, faced with a hooking crisis following injuries to Ken Owens and Elliot Dee, he called up the Durban-born 25-year-old last Friday.

And now the man who had a spell with RGC in north Wales as a teenager has been fast tracked onto the bench for the showdown with the Springboks.

Explaining the background, head coach Pivac said: “We have people who are out there looking at who is eligible, who qualifies for the different countries.

“That came on our radar after he was put into the Ulster squad last season.

“So we’ve watched him across this season, looked at last season, the bits and pieces that he’s had.

“We see an exciting prospect. He’s not the tallest of players, but in the modern game he’s short and robust and very hard to tackle with good footwork.

“We see him in the attacking side of the game having a lot of skill and a lot of ability.

“He’s got a good defensive brain on him.

“From Gethin Jenkins’ point of view, he likes what he’s seeing and we are going to see him on the biggest stage against South Africa, against the country of his birth.

“I know he’s got family flying over and it’s a big occasion for him.

“We are going to learn a lot and he’s going to learn a lot.”

With the 5ft 9ins, 17st Roberts set to make his Test debut this weekend, he will need to join a Welsh region to remain eligible under the WRU 60-cap rule when his Ulster contract expires at the end of this season.

Pivac is understood to be very keen for that to happen and will be keeping his fingers firmly crossed that one of the four pro teams is able to find a spot for him.

Otherwise, he would find himself in the position of flanker Thomas Young, who was ineligible for the 2020-21 season even though he wasn’t offered a regional deal when he came out of contract at Wasps.