Springbok makes mid-season switch to Japan to cover for Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel
Springboks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg has signed a short-term deal with Japanese Rugby League One side, the Canon Eagles.
The midfielder leaves the Sharks midway through the United Rugby Championship season to ink a deal with the Japanese club, which has Springboks Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel sidelined.
Janse van Rensburg makes early exit
Janse van Rensburg has reportedly signed with French Top 14 club Bordeaux ahead of the 2024/25 campaign but will now leave the Sharks earlier than expected.
He will fill one of the Canon Eagles’ foreign player slots, as Kriel and De Klerk are set to miss most of the regular season.
Earlier this year, both players confirmed their respective injuries, with Kriel stating that his thumb injury – that he had an operation on – would mean that he wouldn’t “miss too many games” and that he would be “back for the end of the season for few games”. There was no return date provided for De Klerk.
This means that Janse van Rensburg will be able to feature for the side for the rest of the season before linking up with Bordeaux ahead of the 2024/25 Top 14 campaign. He has reportedly signed a three-year deal with Bordeaux along with Munster fly-half Joey Carbery, who inked a two-year contract.
“I’m very excited to join the Yokohama Canon Eagles team; it’s a real honour for me to represent the club and its people,” Janse van Rensburg said.
“I strive to help the team in any way possible and can’t wait to build long-lasting relationships this season. I can’t wait to show you all as much of me as I can.”
Japanese Rugby League One regulations allow clubs to have three players who have been capped internationally for nations other than Japan in their squad.
De Klerk, Kriel and Wallabies forward Matt Philip filled up Canon Eagles’ quota, but the injury to the aforementioned pair means that the side can recruit an international replacement.
Sharks in the market for a centre
Regarding the Sharks, because Janse van Rensburg left them before the start of the new campaign, they were looking for a new inside center.
Bulls and Montpellier center Jan Serfontein were apparently considering each other, but the Bok midfielder chose to sign an extension with the Top 14 team rather than go back to South Africa.
According to recent sources, Andre Esterhuizen’s contract at Harlequins is about to expire, and the Sharks are willing to pay £500,000 to purchase him out of it.
