Two Bulls off to Japan

Pretoria - Rising star RG Snyman has become the latest player to sign overseas after he penned a contract with Japanese club Honda Heat.

Snyman, who looks destined to make the Springbok squad and is one of the few players this season who has performed well for the Vodacom Bulls, will join the Japanese club at the end of Super Rugby.

The former Affies lock, who stands a massive 2.06 metres tall, has played 18 times for the Vodacom Bulls in Super Rugby and will be in the team to face the Jaguares on Saturday.

The deal allows him to return to South Africa for Super Rugby, and he will be available for the Springboks if selected.

Honda Heat is the home to former Bulls’ team-mate Deon Stegmann, who has been with the club for the last year. Snyman will be playing in Japan during the Currie Cup, on a very similar deal to Jaco Kriel and Warren Whiteley of the Lions.

Snyman isn’t the only Bulls player heading overseas with the news that flyhalf Francois Brummer has signed for Toyota Shokki for the upcoming Japanese season.

The smaller of the two Toyota clubs, Brummer is currently the third-choice flyhalf for the Bulls, and played as a substitute when they lost to the Sunwolves in Tokyo last week.

Brummer was contracted to the Pumas last year for the Currie Cup, but his contract with them ended at the end of the Currie Cup and he was signed on as back-up for Handre Pollard and Tian Schoeman.

Brummer’s contract will see him return to South Africa in 2018 for Super Rugby as well.

Blue Bulls Company High Performance Manager Xander Janse van Rensburg confirmed the two signings, saying the positive was that the players would return for the Super Rugby campaign next year.

“We all know how difficult it is to keep our top players in the country, especially with the Rand weakening in the last few weeks. While the situation is not ideal, the deal allows RG and Francois to both experience the Japanese culture and play abroad, but still return to play for the Vodacom Bulls next season. It also keeps RG eligible for the Springboks, who enjoy first choice if he is selected this season for the national team.

“Players of this calibre are always targets for top teams, especially in Europe, and we are happy that we have RG and Francois available for the Bulls for the foreseeable future.”

The Bulls face the Jaguares on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.