FROM DURBAN TO Belfast, via Wales, via Durban again and then via Magherafelt. It’s a safe bet that Bradley Roberts’ path to the top hasn’t been replicated by anybody else.

And yet that only serves to heighten the intrigue around the South African hooker, who only a year ago was a complete unknown but now is a firm fan favourite at Kingspan Stadium for his abrasive playing style and signature ginger mullet and moustache.

Having only broken into the Ulster set-up in November 2020, called up to the squad as injury cover while Rob Herring was also away with Ireland, it didn’t take long for the 25-year-old to make an impact, making a brief cameo from the bench for a blow-out win at Edinburgh that same month.

A smattering of substitute appearances towards the end of the season yielded a one-year full-time contract in the summer and the journey was complete when he was in the run-on side for Ulster’s United Rugby Championship opener against Glasgow Warriors last weekend, scoring a try before being replaced at half-time.

“Very exciting. Ever since joining I’ve looked forward to that,” grinned the affable Roberts of his debut. “Probably the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of, which was cool. Got goosebumps walking out onto the pitch.

“It was good to get the win first and foremost, first game of the season. I really enjoyed it. It was good to get a try as well. The buzz was epic, looking forward to a good season.”

But to get to this point it has not been smooth sailing, and when you consider what Roberts has had to contend with just to be in the professional set-up, it makes his journey all the more admirable.

Coming out of school in Durban, there was no Academy deal for him in South Africa, nor was there a club willing to take a punt on him elsewhere. Stuck for options, he moved to Wales on a short-term visa courtesy of his father’s heritage, where he played for RGC a year.

At the end of that year, he returned home to Durban and had every intention of going back to Wales and playing on. But a chance call from the Natal Sharks to train with them before the Currie Cup piqued his interest, and before long he was starring for their Under-19 side.

But, once again, the hope of a professional deal never materialised.

“It was going well, we had an average season but I played well,” Roberts explains. “I hoped they would sign me on but it didn’t quite work out, and that’s when I sort of decided rugby wasn’t for me.”

A break from rugby led him to spend a year-and-a-half in university at Stellenbosch near Cape Town, but he still yearned to play the game he loved. So when his agent called and told him a team in Ireland were looking for a hooker, he jumped at the chance – and so his move to Rainey Old Boys came to fruition.

That was in September 2017 and, while he never gave up on the hope of making it as a pro, playing in Division 2A of the AIL is not the ideal proving ground to get you a full-time deal. But, nevertheless, Roberts put his head down, put in the graft and garnered the plaudits for his performances at Hatrick Park.

It took three years but he got his reward. When Ulster needed someone to step in last November and fill a slot in their squad during the pandemic-hit season, Roberts came highly recommended. A week later, he was training. Two weeks after that, he was benching at Murrayfield.

“It was a bit of a shock to the system to be involved so early on, I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into because I had never played a game of that calibre before,” he recalls.

“I was just going in there with a mindset that I needed to make a big impact because nothing was guaranteed at that stage. I was still on a short-term injury cover contract. I always said to myself that when I got my chance I needed to take it. Luckily things went my way that night, I got involved at the right time.

“That was the biggest wake-up call for me, I was only on for seven or eight minutes but I was blowing that game! For that short time I knew I would have to work hard to play more than 50 minutes.”

Since then, Roberts has only gone from strength to strength. His influence within the squad and with the fans has made him into a popular figure within the province, and his first start against Glasgow was fully deserved after two strong performances in pre-season against Saracens.

He’s not looking too far ahead but having seemingly already supplanted John Andrew as the understudy to Herring, it’s not unfeasible to suggest that the next goal he needs to tick off is to start stealing a few starts off his fellow countryman.

“I’m just taking it game by game but I do have goals and ambitions to take the next step. The way I see it is you have to take each game as it comes, play as well as you can and then the rest will sort itself out,” he insists.

“I’m not focusing on that as of yet, just taking it game by game, making the most of it and enjoying it.”

Despite having lived in Ireland since 2017, Roberts isn’t Irish-qualified yet, although that’s down to misfortune as he returned to South Africa during the pandemic and couldn’t get a flight back to maintain his residency status. But, once he gets it sorted out – “we’re trying to get special dispensation,” he reveals – he has every intention of declaring for Ireland.

In the meantime, there are shorter term goals he wants to achieve, such as adding to his one start in an Ulster jersey so far. He also has his eyes set on one particular match-up, too – when old club the Sharks come to Kingspan Stadium on the final day of the season.

“I can’t wait to play against the Sharks,” he grins. “I know a few guys in their team and their head coach (Sean Everitt) was actually the director of rugby at my primary school, Durban Preparatory High School, so I’ve known him for years. I’d love to show them what they’ve lost.”

That being said, he doesn’t hold any ill-will towards them, nor does he regret not trying to stick it out in South Africa to see if he could catch on with his local side again after that brief Under-19s spell.

No doubt Ulster would concur that it’s a good thing he decided to dip his toe in the water in Ireland. A player who was supposed to just be an extra body in training has now become an important part of their squad, and they’ll be hoping he is still shapeable enough that they can mould him into something more.

“I wouldn’t change it for a thing. Everything happens when it’s supposed to and I’ve loved my transition (to Ireland),” smiles Roberts.

“It’s also done wonders for my body because I was able to transition into my fully grown body without the stress of playing professional rugby week in, week out. My body is still fresh now at 25, whereas a lot of guys would be starting to feel the effects of playing professionally since the age of 18.

“I don’t have any arguments, I don’t dwell on the past, I’m just happy with where I am at the moment.”

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!