Saracens have signed the 2007 South Africa World Cup winner Schalk Burger. The 32-year-old flanker will join the Premiership champions on a two-year contract next season to fulfil a long-held ambition of playing in England.
Burger, who suffered a near-fatal illness two years ago, has 86 caps and was one of South Africa’s best players at the World Cup when they recovered from defeat to Japan to reach the semi-final where they lost to the eventual winners New Zealand by two points.
“I’m extremely excited to have the opportunity to play in both the Premiership and the European Cup, two of the leading competitions in world rugby for such a special club,” said Burger, a long-time target for Saracens, who have been linked with another South Africa international, the tighthead prop Vincent Koch.
“I hope I can add a lot of value both on and off the field to an already successful group of players and coaches. I’m looking forward to playing alongside my new team-mates and playing in front of all the Saracens fans and getting to know everyone at Allianz Park.”
Saracens lost another South African back-row earlier this season when the 35-year-old Ernst Joubert retired and the flanker Jacques Burger will be leaving.
“To have a player of Schalk’s caliber coming is fantastic,” said the club’s director of rugby, Mark McCall. “He has achieved everything in rugby, but he is a humble guy who we believe will fit into the Saracens’ environment.”
