South African fly-half swaps Blue Bulls for Red Bulls

South African fly-half Boeta Chamberlain has become Newcastle’s latest recruit ahead of the new season after swapping the Blue Bulls for the Red Bulls.

The 26-year-old will arrive on Tyneside following the conclusion of the Currie Cup in his homeland, joining on a one-year deal, as exclusively revealed by RugbyPass last week.

Chamberlain, who can also operate at full-back, played 59 matches for the Sharks before moving to the Bulls last summer, with the former Paarl Boys’ High pupil scoring more than 150 points during those appearances.

A right-footed goal-kicker who is already accustomed to northern hemisphere conditions after playing in the URC and EPCR competitions, director of rugby Steve Diamond is looking forward to his arrival in the True North.

Diamond said: “Boeta is a talented player who will help take our attack to the next level.

“He has been playing at a good standard, he has a strong kicking game and links well with the players around him.

“His skill set is well-suited to how we are looking to play, and I look forward to working with him when he arrives after the Currie Cup in South Africa.”

Chamberlain is delighted to be joining a club on the up.

He said: “Joining the Gallagher PREM is a dream come true for me.

“It has always been a tournament that my family and I love watching, so it’s an unreal feeling knowing that I’ll be joining it – especially at such an exciting time for Newcastle following their takeover.

“Red Bull are a massive brand, and clearly Newcastle are a team who are looking to take off in a big way. It can only be a good thing for the sport, and to be there in the thick of it is really something special.”

The fly-half added: “Going from the Blue Bulls to the Red Bulls is an unusual first for a rugby player, so we’ve been having a good laugh about that, but all joking aside, I’m just buzzing about the whole thing.

“I’m pretty accustomed to the European winters and the style of rugby, having played up there for the Sharks and Bulls, and I’m hoping to bring some attacking flair.

“That’s what I enjoy, and obviously generating some momentum through my kicking game to get the team moving forward. I love looking to create opportunities within the team framework, and that’s basically my approach to it.”