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Report: Saracens linked to Springbok No.9

Ivan van Zyl /Getty

South African media are reporting that sometime Springbok and current Bulls scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl is set to join Saracens.

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The Bulls number 9, who has been capped six times by the Springboks, has decided to head to Europe and the RFU Championship side look to be favourites to sign him.

According to Netwerk 24, Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone has insisted that Van Zyl won’t be released before mid-2021. Saracens have three nines on the books currently: Aled Davies, Alex Day and Tom Whiteley. Eleven first-team players have left the Saracens since last season.

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Why the best players are going to Japan:

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Why the best players are going to Japan:

Van Zyl was first called up to the Springboks in 2018, making his debut against Wales in a rare away Test match in Washington DC, but was not included in their World Cup Squad for Japan last in 2019.

Having slipped down the South African scrumhalf depth charts, the 25-year-old presumably sees a move to a more lucrative rugby market as a smart one.

SARACENS FULL SENIOR SQUAD LIST
PROPS
Alec Clarey
Eroni Mawi
Josh Ibuanokpe
Mako Vunipola
Ralph Adams-Hale
Richard Barrington
Vincent Koch

HOOKERS
Jamie George
Kapeli Pifeleti
Tom Woolstencroft

LOCKS
Callum Hunter-Hill
Joel Kpoku
Maro Itoje
Tim Swinson

BACK ROW
Andy Christie
Billy Vunipola
Calum Clark
Jackson Wray
Janco Venter
Mike Rhodes
Sean Reffell

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SCRUMHALVES
Aled Davies
Alex Day
Tom Whiteley

FLYHALVES
Manu Vunipola
Owen Farrell
Will Hooley

CENTRES
Dom Morris
Duncan Taylor
Elliot Daly
Harry Sloan
Juan Pablo Socino

BACK THREE
Alex Lewington
Ali Crossdale
Elliott Obatoyinbo
Rotimi Segun
Sean Maitland

DEPARTURES
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
George Kruis (Panosonic Wild Knights)
Joe Gray (Harlequins)
Liam Williams (Scarlets)
Matt Gallagher (Munster)
Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues)
Titi Lamositele (Montpellier)
Viliami Hakalo (Retired)
Will Skelton (La Rochelle)
Richard Wigglesworth (Leicester Tigers)
Brad Barritt (Retired)

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LOANS RETURNING FOR 2021/22 CAMPAIGN
Alex Lozowski (Montpellier)
Ben Earl (Bristol Bears)
Jack Singleton (Gloucester)
Max Malins (Bristol Bears)
Nick Isiekwe (Northampton Saints)
Nick Tompkins (Dragons)
Alex Goode (NEC Green Rockets)

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Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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