Eben Etzebeth to leave Toulon at the end of the season
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Toulon have confirmed that Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth will leave the Club at the end of the season.
The Rugby World Cup winner has been granted an early release from his contract in order to return to South Africa, due to personal reason.
The Club confirmed the news on Sunday releasing the following statement:
“Eben Etzebeth has expressed his desire to put an early end to the contract binding him to Toulonnais in order to return, for personal reasons, to South Africa,” Sunday.
“Aware of the difficulties encountered by the player, the club took note of this request and accepted it.”
“I am sad to have to leave Toulon and my teammates at the end of the season but personal reasons force me to do so,” Etzebeth said in the statement.
“Toulon and its supporters welcomed me … I will give everything for this team until the end of the season to help Toulon perform, move up the standings and to be contenders in the Challenge Cup.”
Reports in South Africa state that Etzebeth is in the advanced stages of talks with the Sharks.
“His stuff is still a little complicated,” Sharks chief Eduard Coetzee told TimesLive on Friday.
“We are looking at lock. We would love to get him, but he is on a big contract so he’ll have to get out of his contract and be prepared to take a substantial salary cut.
Etzebeth has made just 28 appearances for Toulon since his arrival in 2019. Injuries have hampered his time at the club with the second rower making just his first appearance of the season against Bordeaux.
