Two more Boks leave the Bulls as Kriel, De Jager head overseas

Kriel will join Japanese side Canon Eagles.

De Jager joins the growing list of South Africans at English side Sale Sharks next season that includes fellow Boks Faf de Klerk, Robert du Preez, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Coenie Oosthuizen and Akker van der Merwe.

It follows the announcement on Tuesday that Bulls captain and flyhalf Handre Pollard will sign for Montpellier in France’s Top 14 and lock RG Snyman will move to Japanese club Honda Heat.

The weakness of the South African rand currency means there has been a flood of players signing lucrative contracts with clubs in Europe and Japan in the last few months after eligibility rules for players abroad were relaxed.

Overseas-based players with under 30 test caps can now represent the Boks, but South African Rugby has said they strictly enforce the 14-week international window and make sure leading players return from their clubs for tests. (Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)