SALE SHARKS HAVE pulled off a major coup with the signing of South Africa international Lood de Jager on a three-year deal.
The lock will arrive at Sale from the Bulls ahead of the 2019-20 Premiership season or, if selected, following his country’s Rugby World Cup campaign, which gets under way in Japan in September.
De Jager, a mammoth second row at six feet nine inches tall, has 38 international caps and was named captain of the Bulls ahead of the 2019 Super Rugby season.
“Firstly, it is a great honour for me to join Sale Sharks, they are a club with great tradition and really high ambitions and they are building something really special,” De Jager said.
“It’s exciting to be a part of and I’m looking forward to joining up with the guys in Manchester later in the year.”
“I am extremely pleased to secure the services Lood for the 2019-20 season,” added Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond.
“He is a world-class lineout operator with lots of experience at the highest level and offers a huge physical presence around the pitch.
“Lood’s signing is a statement of intent in our endeavour to become a force in the Premiership and Europe over the next three years.”
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Delighted. They have been playing excellent rugby all season, and fully deserve to be in the champions cup, not to mention in the playoffs!
@Joe Vlogs: Agree great for Italian rugby and the league overall.
No one calling to have the Italians removed form the league anymore. Hopefully this works out well and Italian rugby gets more exposure and Benetton can build a larger fanbase.
@Kingshu: agreed but in the same breath everyone will be hoping for them in their group in the champions cup. Delighted for them and they have earned it.
Great news for Conor O’Shea too. Fair play to all of them, refusing to give up on themselves.
Well done, Benetton. Delighted for them.
Conor O Shea’s handy work
@Fred McHugh: Does he actually have any input as how Benetton are coached though? He’s not listed on their coaching ticket. I’ve seen a few plaudits thrown his way this year when they’ve done well and tbh they read a little like the ‘Lancaster’s Leinster’ headlines you see in the English papers.
@Pete McEvoy:
Interesting point !!
@Pete McEvoy: o Sheas job is a top down rebuild of Italian rugby. He is over everything rugby in Italy.
That’s class. Well done!
Would be some scalp if the beat Munster in Quarter final
@BMJF: and as leinster well know, they’re tricky opponents