Leicester Tigers lose Hanro Liebenberg to URC strugglers

The Bulls have won their tug-of-war with the Sharks to re-sign Leicester Tigers blindside flanker Hanro Liebenberg when his contract with the Welford Road outfit runs out at the end of the season.

Liebenberg, 30, who can play anywhere across the back row, made 45 appearances for the Bulls after starting his career with the Pretoria-based United Rugby Championship side eleven years ago.

He departed Loftus Versfeld for a short stint in France with Stade Français before joining the Tigers seven years ago and soon established himself as a key performer for the club.

Liebenberg has played 139 times for the Tigers and returned to the side that won 34-7 at Harlequins on Saturday for the first time since playing against Newcastle Red Bulls in late November.

The former Junior Bok skipper will also add strength to the Bulls’ second row when the likes of Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortjé, Cobus Wiese, Cameron Hanekom and Marco van Staden are away on international duty.

The Sharks sounded out Liebenberg about moving to Durban, but a reunion with the Bulls under Johan Ackermann proved the clincher, and he has now agreed a deal.

He becomes the second player the Bulls have lured away from the East Midlands after Handré Pollard made the move on a two-year deal at the start of the season.

Liebenberg’s departure comes just weeks after the Tigers announced that Wales international Aaron Wainwright will be making the move from the Dragons at the end of the season.

Last week, they unveiled former Bath, Wasps and Gloucester lock Elliott Stooke, who is playing for Red Hurricanes in Japan, as their latest signing for next season.

The Tigers have also confirmed the departures of George Martin to Saracens and Nicky Smith to Sale Sharks, which could be replaced by Perpignan’s Georgian international star Giorgi Tetrashvili, who has had talks with them.