Our latest transfers and rumours update is South African-focused, featuring reports on the Sharks, Stormers, and Bulls\u2019 plans.<\/p>\n
Sharks\u2019 new signing eyes All Blacks clash<\/p>\n
The Sharks<\/a> have landed the signing of Brive-based back-rower Hendre Stassen, who is set to join the Durbanites once his commitments with the Pro D2 club this season conclude.<\/p>\n A source told Rapport<\/a> that the 28-year-old \u201chopes to help Brive win the Pro D2 title\u201d before linking up with the Sharks.<\/p>\n \u201cHe achieved what he wanted at Brive. Hendre is returning because he wants to play against the All Blacks and in the United Rugby Championship, which is a higher level than the Pro D2.\u201d<\/p>\n If he does join the Sharks, it would be the third South African team that the loose forward, who can also play lock, has represented, as he started his career out with the Bulls<\/a> in 2018. A move to French club Stade Francais followed but in 2019, his career came to a screeching halt when he returned a positive doping test and was subsequently handed a four-year ban.<\/p>\n The Stormers<\/a> handed him a lifeline in 2023 once he had served the ban, as he played a handful of matches for the side before signing a deal with Brive.<\/p>\n Stassen is set to join the Sharks ahead of their Currie Cup campaign, which starts on July 18 and has clearly set his sights on facing the All Blacks during the Greatest Rivalry Series with Durbanites hosting New Zealand on August 11.<\/p>\n Jean de Villiers: Why South African sides can \u2018definitely\u2019 win the Champions Cup and the reason they are falling short<\/a><\/p>\n Stormers\u2019 lock options after unplanned Springbok exit<\/p>\n Salmaan Moerat\u2019s move to La Rochelle<\/a> at the end of the season has forced the Stormers into a rethink of their locking stocks, director of rugby John Dobson has confirmed.<\/p>\n The 28-year-old was contracted through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup but has been released from the final year on that contract to join the Top 14 giants, with fellow lock Ruben van Heerden also leaving Cape Town at the end of the season to join Montpellier.<\/p>\n Van Heerden\u2019s departure was something that the Stormers were aware of as they made plans for next season but pairing that with Moerat\u2019s departure leaves the club making adjustments.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t expect to lose two locks,\u201d Dobson told Netwerk24. \u201cWe\u2019ve known for some time about Ruben going to Montpellier and then Salmaan got his opportunity and it\u2019s a good one for him and his family. We didn\u2019t want to stand in his way.\u201d<\/p>\n The double departure does leave the Stormers lighter in the second-row than this season but Dobson is confident that they have sufficient cover in the form of Guy Porter and Connor Evans, as well as Junior Springboks<\/a> captain Riley Norton.<\/p>\n Porter has endured an injury-plagued spell lately which has limited his involvement, while Evans and Norton are two players the Stormers boss believes have huge potential.<\/p>\n Still, that has stopped him from weighing up his options.<\/p>\n \u201cIt could be a bit of a rebuilding phase at the end. We are talking to one player overseas but it\u2019s just a conversation at the moment and nothing more,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Dobson thinks that he can \u2018get by\u2019 with the trio mentioned above as well as Springboks forward Ben-Jason Dixon, who can slot into the lock position despite being primarily a back-rower.<\/p>\n Cheslin Kolbe\u2019s future decided amid Stormers\u2019 pursuit as John Dobson looks abroad for Springbok\u2019s replacement<\/a><\/p>\n Sale circle Embrose Papier<\/p>\n Last week, Rapport reported that the Bulls would need help from SA Rugby and Rassie Erasmus in order to retain the services of scrum-half Embrose Papier, whose contract expires at the end of next season.<\/p>\n Papier has been arguably the form number nine in South Africa for multiple seasons now and has been particularly excellent this campaign despite the Bulls\u2019 inconsistencies.<\/p>\n However, that form hasn\u2019t convinced Erasmus and his staff, as Papier was overlooked for the Springbok alignment camps this year and hasn\u2019t added to his seven Test caps that he earned back in 2018.<\/p>\n According to the report<\/a>, the Bulls would need financial assistance from SA Rugby, in the form of the PONI contract (Player of National Interest), to keep the scrum-half in Pretoria as his stocks continue to rise and overseas clubs take notice.<\/p>\n One club has reportedly expressed its interest already with Sale Sharks approaching the Bulls to buy the scrum-half out of the final year of his contract, according to Rugby Pass.<\/p>\n The report states that the Sharks are willing to pay a fee in order to secure Papier\u2019s early exit but have been rebuffed by the Bulls who eager to hold onto his services at least until they find a replacement.<\/p>\n That replacement could come in the form of ex-Sharks and Lions scrum-half Sanele Nohamba who is currently plying his trade with the Shizuoka BlueRevs in the Japan Rugby League One.<\/p>\n Ruan Nortje to join Malcolm Marx in Japan as Bulls back youth to fill his void<\/p>\n