Harlequins have announced that they have signed South African international centre Andre Esterhuizen from Super Rugby’s Sharks.
Esterhuizen will join Quins at the start of the 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership season but the length of his contract for the moment remains unknown.
The centre has featured in 72 games for the Sharks having made he debut for the club back in 2004. He will on doubt add to that amount once the Sharks’ Super Rugby campaign gets underway in a weeks time.
At the age of 28, Esterhuizen has appeared eight times for the Springboks although he was left out of the 2019 World Cup squad.
Speaking about the signing of Esterhuizen, Quins Head of Rugby Paul Gustard has told the clubs official website what attracted them to bring him to the Stoop.
Gustard said:
“Andre is an incredible signing for Harlequins. He is a current Springbok who has the ability to change any game through his raw power and strength in the contact areas.”
“His physical abilities are impressive enough, but we were further attracted by his capacity to be a second playmaker, distributing before and through the line. He is a fantastic talent and his addition to our squad is very exciting.”
After his signing with the club had been made official, Esterhuizen also explained why he chose to bring his talents to Quins.
The South African International said:
”When the opportunity to play for Harlequins came up, I knew it was the right move for me to develop my career and get the chance to play in the Premiership, as well as experience the European competition, which have always been dreams of mine.”
“Paul Gustard and his team are building something special there and to have the chance to work with a young and dynamic coaching group such as Nick Evans and Sean Long is really exciting and I can’t wait to run out at The Stoop and show them what I can bring to the team.”
Weighing in at 17st 7, and measuring up at 6″3ft, Esterhuizen is best known for his big tackles and serious ball-carrying impact, so much so he is definitely worth the title of his nickname which is ‘The Giant’.
While he has played most of his career over in the Super Rugby after joining the Sharks in 2013, Esterhuizen is no stranger to playing in England and in particular, London. Andre Esterhuizen scored against Fiji at Twickenham Stadium in November when he was selected in Warren Gatland’s Barbarians team.
The news of Esterhuizen’s signing will be music to all Quins’ fans ears as in the 28-year-old Esterhuizen, they have a bulldozing midfielder who can change the course of a game within a moment and to a deadly effect.
“Main photo credit”
