Springboks star to cash-in on lucrative sabbatical, missing most of the 2024/25 season

Springboks star Kurt-Lee Arendse is set to cash in on a lucrative playing sabbatical in Japan, according to reports.

The Rugby World Cup winner has reportedly been granted the opportunity to earn some yen by the Bulls who will be without their brilliant back for six months.

Kurt-Lee Arendse heads to Japan

According to a report by South African newspaper Rapport, Arendse has signed a deal to join Japanese club the Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars for the 2024/25 season.

The Japan Rugby League One season runs from December to May and Arendse is set to link up with his new team following his commitments with the Springboks in November.

He will be available to the Bulls during the early stages of the URC season in between the international windows before making the move to Japan.

Arendse is contracted to the Bulls until June 2026 and will return to the side following his stint in Japan.

While he would miss the majority of the URC and Investec Champions Cup season, he would report back to Pretoria in time for the knockout stages of the two tournaments provided that Jake White’s side is still in the running for the two trophies.

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It is not uncommon for South African franchises to afford players the opportunity to fill their coffers in Japan with the Sharks doing the same for Springboks stars Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi in the past.

Am enjoyed a stint with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in 2022 while Mapimpi represented the NTT Red Hurricanes in 2021.

The Bulls also allowed back-rower Marcell Coetzee to join the Steelers during the 2022/23 season as he too returned to Pretoria during the latter stages of the season.

The DynaBoars will be hoping that Arendse’s signing will result in a better showing than last season where they finished ninth overall, as they narrowly missed the relegation play-offs.

Former Highlanders and Scarlets coach Glenn Delaney is currently the head coach of the side and is assisted by ex-Bath attack coach Joe Maddock and former All Blacks prop Ben Franks.

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