Bok duo to miss Premiership restart

NEWS: The 2019/2020 Premiership season will get back underway this weekend and Harlequins will have to get back into action without their new Springbok signings.

It has been revealed that prop Wilco Louw and centre Andre Esterhuizen have still not arrived at their new club because of visa issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both had their visa process held up by the lockdown in South Africa.

Louw joins Harlequins from the Stormers, while Esterhuizen joins from the Sharks.

"The ability to get in and get the necessary paperwork done, with the amount of places shut down, has taken us a lot longer than we anticipated," Harlequins Head of Rugby Paul Gustard told the BBC.

"But we've got numbers, and it will be a nice boost when these players arrive and give us a lift."

Harlequins, who sit seventh in the Premiership table, will face Sale Sharks in what will be a tough fixture.

Sale are currently second on the table.

Louw and Esterhuizen are not the only South Africans to join Harlequins. Promising outside back Tyrone Green will join them from the Lions, while experienced prop Maks van Dyk joins from French club Toulouse on a short-term deal.

Source: BBC