Springbok World Cup winning legends Bryan Habana and Schalk Burger could be playing in the English Premiership next season if Saracens get their way.
Following an £8m investment from a South African business headed up by billionaire Johann Rupert, whose board members include South Africa’s 1995 World Cup winning skipper Francois Pienaar, there are strong links between the London club and South Africa.
Their scheme, which is in its early stages, aims to secure loan deals for the two former IRB World Players of the Year along similar lines to that which Perpignan used to secure the release from the All Blacks of Dan Carter this season.
Pienaar is a former Saracens skipper himself and the players would only move with the blessing of the South African Rugby Union – and providing their Test careers were not compromised.
Both Habana and Burger will be battling with the best of British & Irish players this summer when the Lions tour South Africa for the first time in 12 years. Then the world champion Springboks will move on to the Tri-Nations tournament, which concludes in the second week of September.
The Saracens board are also considering leaving their current home in Watford and striking a potential deal with Fulham FC to play in Central London at Craven Coittage.
