Harlequins beat rivals to sign South African 'project' player

Harlequins head coach Jason Gilmore admits that they are excited to be bringing Pumas tight-head Sampie Swiegers to the PREM on a two-year deal later this year.

Quins have made Swiegers, 27, who led the North-West University Eagles to the 2023 FNB Varsity Cup title and who is out of contract with the Pumas this summer, their third new signing ahead of next season.

He will join Northampton Saints and England full-back George Furbank and Bristol loose forward James Dun in making the move to the Stoop.

Swiegers, who had attracted interest from Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks and Saints, was unexpectedly invited by Rassie Erasmus to participate in the first Springbok alignment camp in 2024, following their retention of the Rugby World Cup in France.

“He’s a project for us, a good age profile and is probably moving into his peak years as a tight-head. He probably starts the puzzle of how we want that tight five to look over the next 12 months,” Gilmore told RugbyPass.

“So, certainly getting him in and James Dunn on that tight head side of our forward pack is positive. Is he ready to be our starting tight-head right now? Potentially, but we know we’ve got some hard work ahead.

“And he knows he’s got to put a lot of hard work in to get to where we want him to get to.

“But we’re really excited about getting him in. He is a big body. loves contact, loves to set a piece, so that bodes well for us.

“It doesn’t matter if they are English or Georgian or French or Australian or whatever, they just have to be good players that we want to come into our building,” Gilmore told RugbyPass ahead of the announcement of his arrival.”

Earlier today, it was announced that Swiegers’ Pumas teammate, loose forward Ruwald van der Merwe, had signed for URC leaders Glasgow Warriors.