Munster closing in on Jaco Taute deal

Munster appear to be moving closer to tying down Springbok centre Jaco Taute for the rest of the season with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus suggesting an extension to his loan deal was a matter of “crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s”.

Following on from a 29-17 bonus-point Guinness PRO12 victory over Leinster, which stretched his side’s lead at the top of the table to five points, Erasmus added to the festive Munster cheer by suggesting the province’s efforts to tie down South African Taute beyond his four-month loan deal, which ends on December 31 may yield dividends.

Munster need the assent of IRFU performance director David Nucifora to make Taute’s signing to the end of the season an exception to the governing body’s player succession policy which does not sanction more than one non-Irish qualified player in any position across the Leinster, Munster and Ulster panels.