Sale confirm Rohan van Rensburg is heading home to South Africa

Rohan Janse van Rensburg has decided to leave Sale Sharks and join the Cell C Sharks in Durban on a three-year deal. The South African club tweeted: “Trading his northern fin for a southern fin. Welcoming the explosive backline general Rohan Janse van Rensburg to our Sharks family on a three-year deal.”

Sale confirmed the move was happening at the end of the current season in England. Their statement read: “Sale Sharks can today confirm that centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg will leave the club at the end of the current season after almost four years in Manchester.

“The 27-year-old originally joined Sale on loan from the Golden Lions in South Africa during the 2017/18 season. Rohan scored three tries in eight appearances during his loan spell and he impressed enough to make the deal permanent the following summer ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. 

Chris Ashton | Rugby Roots

Chris Ashton | Rugby Roots

“Since then, he has gone on to make 73 appearances for Sharks – including 22 this season – scoring 23 tries. Known as a powerful player, Rohan made his first Springboks appearance in 2016 in a non-cap friendly with the Barbarians in which he scored a last-gasp try to secure a 31-31 draw. 

“Rohan was also included in the Springboks squad for their 2016 outgoing series of Europe and he started the final game of the tour against Wales at inside centre. He has one international cap for South Africa. 

“Everyone at Sale Sharks would like to thank Rohan for his huge contribution to the club over the past four years and we wish him all the very best for the future.”

Confirmation of the move from one Sharks set-up to another come in the middle of a week in which Sale are preparing for their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final away to Racing on Sunday.