Connacht have confirmed the signing of versatile, Irish-qualified South African Shayne Bolton.
As reported by Independent.ie on Tuesday, Connacht have agreed a deal with Bolton, who will arrive in Galway this summer.
Bolton, whose grandmother is from Dublin, will arrive at Connacht with a reputation as one of the brightest young prospects in South African rugby.
The 20-year old represented the University of Free State in the Varsity Cup and also impressed in the U-21 SA Championship.
A powerful and skillful ball carrier, his ability to play centre and anywhere across the back-three will be a major boost to Andy Friend’s side heading into next season.
The head coach has explained how the move came about:
“After we learned of Shayne’s availability and his Irish ancestry, we kept an eye on his progression and did some further work to confirm his playing ability,” said Friend.
The footage is so-so...but his ability isn't!
— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) June 10, 2021
Just a sneak peak of what to expect from our newest arrival 💥
Looking forward to having you in the West of Ireland Shayne 💪 pic.twitter.com/9yzWJEbaMz
“It quickly became apparent that he was the type of player that could add real value to our squad. He has been turning heads in South Africa with his recent performances and, while he’s still only 20-years of age, he has all the attributes to become a top class professional player.
“Players with versatility are a key component we look for in our Squad mix, and Shayne fits that category perfectly. He started off at fullback and on the wing before moving to centre in the last year or two, so we’re looking forward to his arrival and seeing how best to integrate him into the squad.”
Bolton is relishing the chance to move to the Sportsground.
“After numerous chats with Andy and Tim (Allnutt) I knew this was an opportunity I had to take,” he said.
“They spoke about how they pride themselves in developing players and I immediately felt that Connacht was the right place to take my game to the next level. I can’t wait to reconnect with my Irish roots and get ready for the season ahead.”
Connacht have also confirmed that “recruitment remains ongoing and further announcements will be made in due course.”
Munster prop James Cronin is a target for the Westerners to offset the loss of the injured Denis Buckley.
