THE BLUE BULLS have confirmed that Springboks out-half Handré Pollard has signed for Top 14 club Montpellier.
The 25-year-old will make the move to France after this year’s World Cup, where Rassie Erasmus’ Boks could meet Ireland in the quarter-finals.
The departure of 39-times capped Pollard is the latest blow for South African rugby, which has experienced an exodus of homegrown players in recent years.
The Bulls have moved to replace Pollard with former Springbok out-half Morné Steyn, with the 34-year-old set to join from Stade Français.
Steyn helped the Boks to beat the Lions in 2009 and was the top points-scorer at the 2011 World Cup. He has been in France since 2013 but will return to his former club next season.
Pollard’s move abroad won’t affect his availability for Erasmus’ Boks after the World Cup, with the national team coach free to select players based abroad.
However, losing Pollard will weaken the Bulls even further after the exits of the likes of Jan Serfontein, Pierre Schoeman and Arno Botha in recent seasons.
Elsewhere, English club Sale have confirmed the signing of twin brothers Jean-Luc and Daniel du Preez from South Africa’s Sharks on loan deals next season.
The du Preez twins – whose older brother, Rob, had already signed for Sale ahead of next season following a loan spell there last year – will return to South Africa in 2020 after their loan period in England.
Yesterday, Sale confirmed the permanent signing of Springboks prop Coenie Oosthuizen, who will join from the Sharks at the conclusion of the 2019 Super Rugby season.
The 30-times capped tighthead will join an ever-growing cast of South African stars in Sale, with the club having also confirmed the signing of Boks lock Lood de Jager ahead of next season.
Steve Diamond’s squad already includes Faf de Klerk, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Jono Ross and South Africa-born Scottish internationals Josh Strauss and Byron McGuigan, while Sharks hooker Akker van der Merwe will also join next season.
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Come on you boys in blue!
Up da dubs.
Jesus, looks like just saying you support the Dubs is enough to get you red thumbed. Anyway, everyone hates us but we don’t care. COYBIB!!
CHAMPIONS!!!!!!
Come on Kerry. Anyone But Dublin
Fantastic display from the Dubs,welcome home Sam!
Come on the dubs!!!
Come on you boys, come on you boys in blue!!!
Who are the 4 muppets on RTE 2 arguing over nothing?
I know!! Everybody wants to see the best play in a final and a Kerry v Dublin is like The Spanish El Clasico!!!
Did they lube the pitch up with baby oil before this match? Shlippin’ and shlidin’ all over the place
Come on Dublin.
Tis a slipping and sliding match.
When I seen the photograph of the woman and baby accompanying this article I thought it was going to be another migrant/refugee story!
It’s a refugee free day!! Beer and maybe a leg over later if Dublin win!!
I’m off the drink but I’ll take you up on the offer of the leg over.
Might be some consolation after the hiding Tipperary got in the minor game
worst allireland final in my living memory. Very very poor.
Puke.
The boys on RTE just after mentioning how both teams have played limited division 1 opposition,to put that into perspective Donegal who were knocked out of the championship in the Q/F have played more Div 1 teams than both Kerry and Dublin combined.
They won’t get any all-stars either despite the lop-sided draw they came through. Perhaps Durcan – had a terrific year.
It’s a very unfair system. Ulster teams get a raw deal there’s no disputing that
Best team won in the end.
Dublin have the better squad, Kerry have the better management. Kerry by 2.
Jack Kerry are not that strong !!!
…Stick to the day job Michael
Na I work nights
Looking like the Dubs having the better on the sideline as well so far, cooper bring dragged up and down the field and o Sullivan getting in on the scoring Gooch too far out from the goals
Wouldn’t completely agree, Kerry’s shooting has been absolutely woeful. When playing Dublin you have to take your chances. 8 wides(?) in 35 minutes is inexcusable in an AIF,
Congrats Dublin, the better side on the day
They should get rid of them clowns up in the studio and stick O’se and Whelao up there.
Come on utd
Carney already has O’Donoghue as his man of the match..
Never understood why they call it football. It should be called handball.
Because the foot kicks the ball? Derp!
Because it’s played on foot! The same reason Association Football is called football, American football is called football and rugby is called rugby football. The more you know *spreads hands in star motion*
Good game so far considering the conditions.
A.B.D
Deserved victory for Dublin, adapted to the conditions better and were unquestionably the better team on the day..faif pay to them..poor quality final..poor championsip.. (from the perspective of a neutral)
Well done best team won in the end to be honest it should hav been a bigger margin and they really should have three in a row by now by far the best team over the last three to four years.
Well done boys!! Up the Dubs!!
Martin carney is getting worried that Dublin might actually win
Dublin being a bit wasteful early on when they’re in shooting distance of a goal
Looks like donaghy is togged to start?????. Let the games begin
Get Paul Flynn off the pitch and this game would be put to bed.
I must have been at a different match . Paul Flynn was my man of the match