Former Springboks captain Corne Krige is set to be reunited with his former Super 12 coach Alan Solomons at English Premiership side Northampton next season according to the BBC on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old flanker’s arrival is sure to set several England players’ pulses racing after his role in the brutal 53-3 thrashing by the world champions at Twickenham in 2002 — his role in several of the off-the-ball incidents was highlighted by television.
Krige, who captained the Springboks 18 times but retired from international rugby after South Africa’s tame defeat by the All Blacks in the 2003 World Cup quarter-finals, is presently serving an eight-week ban for headbutting the Chiefs’ Derek Maisey in a Super 12 match for the Stormers a fortnight ago.
The ban will see his contract with the Stormers out and he will be able to rejoin Solomons, who coached him at the South African Super 12 side.
His arrival at Northampton depends on whether he can secure a release from Currie Cup games with Western Province.
South Africa’s domestic provincial competition runs from early July to October, meaning 39-times capped Krige may miss the start of the English season in September. – Sapa-AFP