Ulster sign Turblanche

Ulster Rugby have this evening confirmed that Stefan Terblanche will join the club on a 3 month contract.

Ulster have been given dispensation to recruit a foreign player on a short-term basis to provide cover for Jared Payne who ruptured his achilles in the PRO12 match against Treviso on 7th October and who faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines recovering.

Terblanche (36) who has been capped 37 times for the Springboks, made his final appearance for the Natal Sharks in last Saturday's Currie Cup Final against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg. He made his debut for the club back in 1999 before joining Welsh franchise The Ospreys in December 2003.

He returned to South Africa, and the Sharks, for the 2007 Currie Cup season in which he made his 100th appearance for the club.

"At this stage in the season with players all under contract it was always going to be difficult to recruit a high-calibre individual to provide cover for Jared, but we delighted that we have been able to convince Stefan not to hang up his boots just yet," said Ulster Director of Rugby David Humphreys.

Despite the fact that Terblanche comes to Belfast on a short term contract, he should settle in quickly with former Sharks team-mates Johann Muller and Ruan Pienaar in the squad.

His arrival date is subject to the time it will take to meet the requirements of the UK Border Agency.