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Sydney - Butch James's arrival at the Lions for this year's expanded Super Rugby competition will mark the end of Carlos Spencer's playing days.
The Springbok No 10 is set to join the competition stragglers from May when he finishes his current contract with English club Bath.
It will signal a permanent move into coaching for Spencer who will be the backline mentor alongside head coach and his former All Blacks boss John Mitchell.
Spencer joined the Johannesburg-based outfit last year on a massive deal that brought him down from England for two years.
While he got significant playing time in the Lions' horror season, the plan was always to move him more into a coaching role this year.
Barring major injuries, the recruitment of James ensures that will be the case.
The Lions already have former Springboks first five Andre Pretorius on their books and he will help Spencer get the best out of their promising flyhalves, Elton Jantjies and Burton Francis.
Thirty-two-year-old James, a 2007 World Cup winner, has been playing for English team Bath for the past four seasons and will join the Lions in May.
James wants to play for South Africa in this year's World Cup which starts in September in New Zealand.
"I'm proud to be returning to South Africa and to be joining the Lions but at the same time sad to be leaving Bath after four successful seasons," he said.
"The Lions vision excites me and I'm also very keen to be part of the Springboks for the World Cup again."
A former flyhalf with the Durban-based Sharks, James has played 40 tests for South Africa but fell out of favour after his move to Bath before being recalled to the Tri Nations squad last year.
James was presented at a Johannesburg airport on Tuesday after arriving in a private jet belonging to new Lions shareholder Ivor Ichikowitz.
The billionaire South African businessmen Ichikowitz and IT mogul Robert Gumede last year bought a 49 percent stake in the Lions, formerly known as Transvaal and one of South Africa's strongest rugby provinces, and pledged to turn around the fortunes of the struggling team.
The Lions lost all 13 of its games in the 2010 Super 14 - the worst season ever by a Super Rugby team.
But the Lions revived their fortunes in the Currie Cup competition under former New Zealand coach John Mitchell, who joined after the Super 14.
The investment by Gumede and Ichikowitz has linked the team with a string of high-profile names, including James and fellow Springboks Tendai Mtawarira, BJ Botha and Francois Steyn.
Ichikowitz, who owns an arms and defence company, last year promised to transform the face of South African rugby with their investment in the Lions.
They said they would make the sport as popular with black fans as it is with white supporters, and will stage Lions games in Soweto following successful matches at the Johannesburg township for the Pretoria-based Bulls and South Africa's national team last year.
The Lions are still reportedly trying to sign Botha ahead of the new Super 15 season. The team begins the tournament against defending champions and local rivals the Bulls on February 19.
The Springbok No 10 is set to join the competition stragglers from May when he finishes his current contract with English club Bath.
It will signal a permanent move into coaching for Spencer who will be the backline mentor alongside head coach and his former All Blacks boss John Mitchell.
Spencer joined the Johannesburg-based outfit last year on a massive deal that brought him down from England for two years.
While he got significant playing time in the Lions' horror season, the plan was always to move him more into a coaching role this year.
Barring major injuries, the recruitment of James ensures that will be the case.
The Lions already have former Springboks first five Andre Pretorius on their books and he will help Spencer get the best out of their promising flyhalves, Elton Jantjies and Burton Francis.
Thirty-two-year-old James, a 2007 World Cup winner, has been playing for English team Bath for the past four seasons and will join the Lions in May.
James wants to play for South Africa in this year's World Cup which starts in September in New Zealand.
"I'm proud to be returning to South Africa and to be joining the Lions but at the same time sad to be leaving Bath after four successful seasons," he said.
"The Lions vision excites me and I'm also very keen to be part of the Springboks for the World Cup again."
A former flyhalf with the Durban-based Sharks, James has played 40 tests for South Africa but fell out of favour after his move to Bath before being recalled to the Tri Nations squad last year.
James was presented at a Johannesburg airport on Tuesday after arriving in a private jet belonging to new Lions shareholder Ivor Ichikowitz.
The billionaire South African businessmen Ichikowitz and IT mogul Robert Gumede last year bought a 49 percent stake in the Lions, formerly known as Transvaal and one of South Africa's strongest rugby provinces, and pledged to turn around the fortunes of the struggling team.
The Lions lost all 13 of its games in the 2010 Super 14 - the worst season ever by a Super Rugby team.
But the Lions revived their fortunes in the Currie Cup competition under former New Zealand coach John Mitchell, who joined after the Super 14.
The investment by Gumede and Ichikowitz has linked the team with a string of high-profile names, including James and fellow Springboks Tendai Mtawarira, BJ Botha and Francois Steyn.
Ichikowitz, who owns an arms and defence company, last year promised to transform the face of South African rugby with their investment in the Lions.
They said they would make the sport as popular with black fans as it is with white supporters, and will stage Lions games in Soweto following successful matches at the Johannesburg township for the Pretoria-based Bulls and South Africa's national team last year.
The Lions are still reportedly trying to sign Botha ahead of the new Super 15 season. The team begins the tournament against defending champions and local rivals the Bulls on February 19.
