Newcastle prop Hurter to return to South Africa

Newcastle Falcons prop Marius Hurter will leave the club later this month to finish his career in South Africa.

Hurter, the former Springbok tight-head who joined Newcastle in 1998, wants to return home to further his law studies and his wife is expecting their first child.

The 34-year-old will be in contention for Newcastle’s next two games, against Saracens in the Powergen Cup and the Zurich Premiership trip to Leeds, before he flies home on December 30.

Hurter, a member of the South Africa World Cup-winning squad in 1995, has played 109 Premiership games for Newcastle and won the Powergen Cup in 2001 and 2004.