BLOEMFONTEIN – Springbok loose forward Uzair Cassiem could be on his way to Wales to play for the Scarlets.
The 28-year-old, who has earned eight Test caps, is one of the stars of the Cheetahs team currently campaigning in the Pro14 tournament.
Now one of their rivals in the competition, the Scarlets from Llanelli in Wales, are believed to be in the running to sign Cassiem.
The Wales Online website has reported that Cassiem was understood to be on his way to French giants Toulon, but that deal has apparently not gone through.
That has resulted in Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac targeting Cassiem, as he wants a strong ball-carrier at No 8, which is where Cassiem has also played Test rugby for the Boks, as well as blindside flank.
The Scarlets have already secured the services of Hurricanes loose forward Blade Thomson, and are in the mix to sign Waratahs flank Michael Wells too.
They have lost Scotland captain John Barclay to Edinburgh and Tadhg Beirne to Munster, and acquiring the robust Cassiem would bolster their loose-forward stocks.
And the man who hails from Strand, a seaside suburb outside Cape Town, won’t feel overawed by the move as his last Springbok Test came against Wales in Cardiff in November 2017.