Pienaar joins Ulster
South African rugby star, Ruan Pienaar, has signed a long-term contract with Ulster for the new season.
The South African moves from the Natal Sharks and has already said that he wants to compete in Europe, which has the best domestic leagues in the world.
The move is hugely beneficial for Ulster because a lot of clubs had been tracking Pienaar due to the quality he has shown on the international stage. He will play at least one year for the club with options to add different extensions to the contract.
Pienaar has a number of attributes that will help him at his new team and Ulster will be hoping he shows these consistently. However, Ulster must protect their high profile signing.
Attributes
Pienaar is very quick across the turf and this makes him a target for heavy tackles. Opposition will look to bully him out of a game physically but he can use his pace to dodge and evade others and get to where the space is.
He has plenty of experience that he has built up during his relatively short career. At 26 years of age he still has a few playing years ahead of him. The knowledge he has acquired from playing for Natal and South Africa will help him blend in and he can also help youth players coming through the ranks.
His versatility is also going to make him important in the team. This is because he can play all over the middle of the pitch. Ulster will try and push him up field as he isn't that big but it means he can cover in a variety of attacking positions.
Operations Director David Humphreys said: "We're delighted to have concluded the contract negotiations around Ruan's move to Ulster. I would like to thank the Natal Sharks for their help in the matter and for agreeing to Ruan's early release from his Sharks contract."
Protect
The side will have to work very hard to protect their new asset because he is going to be a target from the very first day he walks in at the club. Other sides will see him as a huge threat and they will do anything to keep him from having an influence in a game.
Unfortunately this means that some teams will adopt an overly physical approach and if one poorly timed tackle connects then a player can end up getting badly injured. Ulster have to put players in place around him for protection.
Humphreys added: "We look forward to welcoming Ruan to Belfast in September, he is without doubt one of the biggest signings made in Ulster Rugby's history and I'm confident that he will be a key asset to us both on and off the pitch."
Betting advice
Ulster are always worth a bet when they play domestically. This is because they can adapt to the different conditions needed in a domestic league while others may still be stuck in European or pre-season mode. If you can get good odds on them to win their league then it's worth a small punt.
Pienaar should be set to have a very big season providing he can stay fit and no unforeseen circumstances develop. He is a very aggressive and attack minded player and this means he is going to score a lot of points over the course of the season. A good bet could be for him to end up the top scorer at Ulster by the end of the year. However, there is no harm in being cautious and waiting a few games first if you prefer.
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