Springbok star Burger joins Saracens

South Africa flanker Schalk Burger signed a two-year contract with English Premiership champions Saracens on Monday.

Burger, a World Cup winner in 2007, is scheduled to arrive at Allianz Park next season after he finishes spells at Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath and Super Rugby province Stormers.

The 32-year-old back row, who was a key player for South Africa during their run to the semi-finals of last year's World Cup in England, has been capped 86 times and was named world player of the year in 2004.

"I'm delighted to be joining Saracens. I'm extremely excited to have the opportunity to play in both the Premiership and European Cup - two of the leading competitions in world rugby - for such a special club," Burger told Saracens' website.

"It's an exciting challenge for me and my family and hopefully I can add a lot of value on and off the field to an already successful group of players and coaches."

Recruiting Burger is a major coup for the Premiership leaders, who have been looking to strengthen due to this season's departure of Ernst Joubert and Jacques Burger.

Burger holds the record for the most caps accumulated and most tries scored by a Springbok flanker and can play across the back row, although he is most at home in the number six jersey.

South Africa built their gameplan around him at last autumn's World Cup, repeatedly using him at first receiver where he would either carry, clear out a ruck or feed the ball to his fly-half or wing.

He has been troubled by neck and knee injuries in the past, but his darkest hour came in 2013 when surgery to relieve pressure on a nerve resulted in him contracting a hospital bug that led to bacterial meningitis.

A four-day spell in isolation in intensive care led to fears for his life, but he recovered and was able to play again by the end of the season.

Director of rugby Mark McCall insists Saracens, the only unbeaten team in Europe this season, have signed one of the sport's outstanding players.

"Schalk is a Springbok legend and will add a huge amount of experience and quality to our young English forwards," McCall said.

"We have always talked about having the right blend of experience and youth in our squad, so to be able to add one of the world's finest players to the group is extremely exciting news."
Source: AFP