Cape Town - It may take a while before Springbok lock Franco Mostert turns out for his new club Gloucester.
The 27-year-old has been at the centre of a tug-of-war between Gloucester and the Lions in recent months, with the Johannesburg franchise not prepared to let the player go.
Mostert’s contract with the Lions officially ended on Wednesday (October 31) and he is now registered as a Gloucester player (form November 1).
Gloucester said on Wednesday that Mostert will not be considered for this Friday’s Premiership clash against Bristol and according to Netwerk24, the English club may have to wait a while before they can utilise the player.
The Afrikaans publication is reporting that the court case initiated by the Lions against Gloucester could drag on for some time.
The Lions are upset that Gloucester had prematurely started negotiations with Mostert and had already announced in May that he would join them.
The report added that the Lions never officially released Mostert and will not do so unless Gloucester agree to pay a transfer fee.
Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli told the Citizen earlier this month that there were irregularities with Gloucester’s signing.
“My board told me I must act against Gloucester. His agent had been suspended for three years and it has happened before with Lyon in France, and the second time we said 'no'," Straeuli said.
Mostert was also ruled out of the Boks' Test against England at Twickenham on Saturday due to the match not falling within the World Rugby international window.