Harlequins have announced the signing of Springbok Wilco Louw to replace Bristol-bound Kyle Sinckler.
Stormers tighthead prop Louw has 13 caps for South Africa, with the last coming in 2018, and will arrive at The Stoop at the end of the Super Rugby season.
He recently had a short stint with French side Toulon as cover during the World Cup.
Louw will fill the hole left by Sinckler, who is joining Bristol next season, and continues the theme of Quins signing South African players.
Centre Andre Esterhuizen has already agreed to join next season, while the club have also been linked with World Cup winner and World Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit as a replacement for the departing Chris Robshaw.
“I’m really stoked to be heading to England to play for Quins. If you ask any South African player, they all know Harlequins, its reputation is huge,” Louw said.
“It’s a big opportunity for me; Harlequins play an exciting brand of rugby with awesome coaches.”
Paul Gustard, Quins’ head of rugby, described Louw as “a destructive scrummager”, and believes he will thrive working with Adam Jones, the former Wales prop who is now the club's scrum coach.
“He has the best years of his career ahead of him and I am sure under the tutelage of big Bomb [Jones] he will continue to improve and get even better,” he said.
“Bordering 130 kilos, he is a big man who loves the nuts and bolts of tighthead work. He moves well around the field for such a big man and he will complement the quality at tighthead we have in England international Will Collier and Simon Kerrod.”
Louw added: “Gussy has told me to bring my own flavour to Harlequins and I’m really keen to get involved.
"When I spoke to him in Cape Town, he was really passionate about the future. The guy is full of energy and I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone who talks about rugby and a club with that amount of passion and excitement.”
