Pietersen still eligible for Boks despite Japanese contract

SHARKS and Springbok wing JP Pietersen is set to become “one of the top five paid players in the world” when he puts pen to paper for a three-year contract with a Japanese club later this week.

Pietersen, 26, who has been capped 48 times at Test level, won a Tri-Nations title, a World Cup, a Currie Cup and a British & Irish Lions series, will make the move later this year according to his agent James Adams.

The name of the club will only be revealed when the final paperwork is completed.

“H is deal will be unique because he will be able to play for the Springboks in the June Test window and on the end-of-year-tour,” Adams said. JP will also become “one of the top five paid players in the world”.

“He will also return to play Super Rugby for the Sharks each year as part of the deal. He feels a sense of allegiance to them because they have been good to him and he has been loyal to them.

“B ecause of the timing of the Japanese season JP won’t be eligible for the Springboks during the Rugby Championship.”

Pietersen has been in negotiations with the Japanese for some time and the talks became more focused after the South African Rugby Union (Saru) failed to finalise Springbok contracts by the beginning of April.

Adams says that Pietersen has kept Bok coach Heyneke Meyer informed of his plans throughout and that Meyer understands where Pietersen stands in terms of his commitment to playing Test rugby.

“JP, as a sign of his commitment to the Boks, will be in constant consultation with the Springbok management and will follow a strict conditioning programme to ensure he doesn’t arrive back from Japan out of shape in any way,” Adams said.

Recently lock Andries Bekker joined the Bok exodus to Japan, but like fellow internationals Jaque Fourie, Fourie du Preez and Ryan Kankowski playing in Japan, his contract forbids him from playing Test rugby.

Considering the amounts that are being paid (Fourie is paid approximately R10- million per season and Pietersen could be earning north of R7-million) it’s reassuring that Pietersen will be available for the Boks on a limited basis.

The three-year deal has also been structured so that Pietersen is allowed to participate in all the Springbok matches in 2015, allowing him time with the squad in the build- up to the World Cup.

But in 2013 and 2014 he will miss the Rugby Championship, which is the focal point of the Boks’ season. If a suitable replacement stakes a strong claim to Pietersen’s No14 jersey then the decorated flyer could battle to reclaim his place for the World Cup. It’s clearly a risk he weighed up and is comfortable taking.

Pietersen joins a slew of players who are heading overseas for lucrative contracts in Japan, France, Ireland and Britain. Of players currently active in Super Rugby, Bulls lock Juandre Kruger and Stormers wing Bryan Habana are two more Boks heading overseas to join Racing Metro and Toulon respectively.

Yesterday the Blue Bulls Company (BBC) also confirmed Bok fullback Zane Kirchner will leave the union when his contract expires in October to join Irish club Leinster.

Despite a five month long effort by the BBC to have the 28-year-old fullback extend his contract past the 31 October expiry date, Kirchner has signed a two-year deal with the Irish province.

“We understand that an earlier release might be requested, but it is up to the board to approve that or not,” BBC high performance manager Xander Janse van Rensburg said.

“We have been in talks with Zane and his agent since November and although it is very disappointing to lose his services, we wish him well with the new phase in his career.”