English club London Irish confirmed the signing of Sharks lock Ruan Botha on Monday.
Botha will initially join the Exiles on a six-month contract, acting as cover during the World Cup. He will then take up a spell with the Kubota Spears in Japan, before joining London Irish in preparation for the 2020-21 campaign at the club’s Brentford Community Stadium.
‘Ruan being available during the World Cup period is a major boost to us. He has a lot of top-class rugby experience and will also bring a lot more to the squad in terms of his leadership qualities,’ London Irish director of rugby Declan Kidney commented.
Ruan Botha joins Allan Dell, Adam Coleman, Sean O’Brien, Nick Phipps, Sekope Kepu, Paddy Jackson, Curtis Rona, Waisake Naholo and Will Goodrick-Clarke in signing for the Exiles.
| London Irish can today confirm the signing of second row forward @ruan5botha. Botha will initially join the Exiles on a six-month contract as cover for the Rugby World Cup before re-joining the club in June 2020. #BothaSigns
Read more ? https://t.co/QmL7Qlm5WN pic.twitter.com/rRqLm6m5Yf
— London Irish (@LiRFC) May 20, 2019
Photo: John Davidson/www.photosport.nz
