Scottish lock Hines set to join Leinster from Perpignan

SCOTTISH lock Nathan Hines, currently in South Africa with the British and Irish Lions, is to quit French side Perpignan to join Heineken Cup champions Leinster.

French media reports suggested yesterday that Leinster have been chasing the 32-year-old, who was born in Australia, for several weeks, and that Perpignan club president Paul Goze has indicated that he will not oppose the departure of the abrasive second row.

Although Hines has a year remaining on his contract left to run, it’s understood that an agreement has been reached between all parties to allow him to leave for Ireland. In any case his time in France had probably come to an end anyway: Hines spent four years with Perpignan, but missed out on the exciting climax to the Catalan side’s 2008-9 season, when they won the French championship for the first time in over 40 years.