There was some good news for Connacht Rugby fans this week as it was announced on Monday that they have recruited South African outhalf Marnitz Boshoff on a two-year deal.
The 27-year-old currently plays for Super Rugby side the Lions, as well as the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup, the South African domestic league. He was capped for the Springboks in their mid-year test against Scotland in June 2014.
Boshoff made his Super Rugby debut in a man-of-the-match performance in the opening round of the 2014 season, scoring all the Lions' points - including a last-minute drop goal - to help them beat the Cheetahs 21-20 in Bloemfontein.
He was selected to represent the Barbarians in their November 2014 tour of England, and scored a try in the 36 - 40 defeat to the Australia XV at Twickenham.
Boshoff has played for the Golden Lions since 2013, scoring 465 points in 25 games for the current champions. Over last year's campaign, he had a 94% goal kicking average and kicked eight from eight in the semi-final and a further 12 points in the final win over Western Province to take the title.
Commenting on the new recruit, Connacht CEO Willie Ruane said "Marnitz comes to Connacht with a lot of big match experience and we're excited about what he can bring to the squad for next season."
Head coach Pat Lam added that "Marnitz is an important signing for our squad. A lot of time and research went into identifying the right, experienced outhalf to fit the profile we were after.
"Marnitz is not only a proven and reliable goal kicker with an outstanding kicking game, but his game management has seen the rise of the Lions in Super Rugby over the last three seasons, as well as him leading the Golden Lions to Currie Cup success."
Boshoff himself said that he was excited about life in Ireland and the move to Galway, and that he has "a good understanding of what the club is about and it's clear that there is a huge amount of passion and ambition there in terms of where they want to go.
"I've watched a lot of the Connacht games this season. The rugby they are playing is really exciting and I believe that I can fit in to the structure and add something as well. I can't wait to get stuck in".
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
