Rugby:While Xavier Rush's proposed move to Ravenhill remains up in the air, Ulster have pressed ahead with their rebuilding process for next season and today announced the capture of South Africa's Ruan Pienaar from Super 14 outfit the Sharks.
Pienaar can play outhalf, fullback and scrumhalf but is signed primarily as cover for the Leinster bound Isaac Boss. Still only 26, Pienaar already has 36 caps to his name and his signing will be seen as a major coup for the province.
Negotiations for his release are still ongoing with the Sharks but he is expected to join Ulster this summer. The son of former Springbok fullback Gysie, Pienaar will join former Shark BJ Botha in Belfast while another teammate, Johann Muller, is also set to join Brian McLaughlin’s side .
"Bringing Ruan to Ulster is a massive statement of our ambition to be competing with the top teams in the Magners League and Heineken Cup,” David Humphreys, Ulster’s rugby operations director, said today.
“He is one of the most naturally gifted players in world rugby and having had huge experience at international level with the Springboks, we believe Ruan will help Ulster achieve success over the next couple of seasons."
Pienaar, a member of the Springboks’ victorious 2007 World Cup squad who also played against the Lions last summer, is due to start in South Africa’s Millennium Stadium clash against Wales next week.