Wanted man.

Highly rated Stormers centre Jonathan Roche is reportedly attracting interest from the Irish provinces as he considers a move that could open the door to representing Ireland.

The 23-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and is weighing up his options according to RugbyPass, including a potential switch to Ireland.

The Cape Town-born midfielder is Irish-qualified through his grandmother on his father’s side.

Roche is one of South Africa’s brightest centre prospects, with his progress already earning recognition from the Springbok setup.

He received an invitation to a Springbok alignment camp in 2025 and featured for the Stormers against the All Blacks during this summer’s Greatest Rivalry Tour.

A physical, direct and competitive midfielder, Roche primarily operates at inside centre but can also play at 13.

He came through Bishops Diocesan College and the University of Cape Town pathway, captaining his school during an impressive 2021 campaign that included victories over Paul Roos and Rondebosch.

He subsequently made an immediate impression at Currie Cup level, scoring a hat-trick on his Western Province debut against the Griffons.

Roche was on the scoresheet again last weekend, crossing twice in the Stormers’ 49-12 Champions Cup victory over Bristol Bears.

His age, Irish qualification and ability to cover both centre positions would make him an intriguing prospect for the provinces, with scope to develop further while competing for senior rugby.

And with a name like that – there’s no doubt he’ll fit in.