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Cape Town - Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth could earn substantial amounts during a short stint in England.
Bok coach Allister Coetzee told the media in London on Monday that the Stormers lock was set to sign a short-term deal with a Premiership club in England.
Etzebeth, 25, was earlier linked with a move to Saracens, a club which boasts a rich tradition of fielding South African players.
That move failed to materialise, but according to Netwerk24, the lock enforcer is now being linked to Bristol.
According to the Afrikaans publication, rumours are doing the rounds that Etzebeth could earn up to £40 000 (about R665 200) per game.
Bristol sacked their director of rugby Andy Robinson on Monday and former Bok coach Heyneke Meyer’s name has been mentioned as a possible successor.
Coetzee said there were pros and cons to Etzebeth staying in Europe to play club rugby.
“Eben Etzebeth playing up here would be a great experience for him because he would be playing against top quality locks in the northern hemisphere game," the Springbok coach was quoted as saying by AFP.
"The conditions would be different and he would learn from it.
"But on the other hand it wouldn’t be good for the Springboks because Eben would be missing out on a conditioning phase and he would go straight from English club rugby to Super Rugby and then June Tests next year and so on. Hopefully, it will only be for this year."
