Junior Springbok star signs for English club as Jasper Wiese's replacement

English club Leicester Tigers on Tuesday announced the signing of Junior Springbok star Corne Beets on a long-term deal.

Beets, 20, was standout performer at No 8 in last year's U20 World Championships, scoring a try in the third-place playoff against England.

His exploits saw him crowned Junior Springbok Player of the Year at the recent SA Rugby awards.

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"The incredible opportunity to become a member of the prestigious Leicester Tigers family excites me," the former Paarl Gymnasium scholar said in a statement.

"It is an honour and a privilege to bring my enthusiasm and expertise to this legendary club, and I am eager to take on the challenges that lie ahead while creating lifelong memories with my team-mates and the amazing Leicester Tigers supporters.

"I'm excited to fully immerse myself in Leicester's rich culture and becoming a proud member of the community."

Beets is set to help fill the void left by Springbok World Cup-winner Jasper Wiese, who will be leaving Leicester at the end of the current season.

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Leicester Tigers' general manager, Richard Wilks, welcomed their new signing: "We're happy that a player with Corne's potential will be joining our club and we're excited to see what he can become in our programme.

"We've seen the growth in players like Hanro Liebenberg and Jasper Wiese at Tigers and we've got no doubt Corne will dedicate himself as those players have and grow from strength to strength at the club.

"From our meetings with him and from his reputation, Corne's also got the right personality and character for our club, and we're just excited for him to join us."

Leices