The cat is out of the bag: Sbu Nkosi will become a Bull next season

Bulls mentor Jake White has confirmed that Springbok wing Sbu Nkosi will be calling Loftus his new home for next season.

It's been an open secret that the franchise had been actively pursuing the 26-year-old World Cup winner as a top-class replacement for the rapidly evolving Madosh Tambwe, who's on his way to Europe.

But Nkosi won't be granted an early release from the Sharks.

"Sbu will start with us when Madosh goes to Europe," White said on Friday, ahead of the Bulls' Currie Cup meeting with Griquas at home on Saturday.

"When the season at the Sharks ends, he will move back up to Gauteng, to Johannesburg where he grew up and he will join us. He can’t come and join us before the end of the season though."

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Despite struggling to command a regular starting spot in the Durbanites' classy backline before suffering from an unidentified health setback that required surgery, the signing can still be considered a coup for the Bulls.

Nkosi, who has 16 Test caps, has lately dropped down the Springboks' pecking order as men like Tambwe, franchise team-mate Aphelele Fassi and Stormers speedster Seabelo Senatla have seized their opportunities in the United Rugby Championship this season.

The Bulls will have additional depth at lock and loose forward earlier than expected after former Lions and Junior Springbok star Ruan Vermaak made an earlier than expected return from his stint in Japan with Johan Ackermann's Docomo Red Hurricanes.

"The only new guy coming before July is Ruan, whose season in Japan has ended and he will be an extra forward for us," said White.

Currie Cup assistant coach Pine Pienaar also confirmed earlier this week that second rowers Walt Steenkamp and