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Ruan Pienaar Primed For A Return To Irish Rugby

14 October 2017; Ruan Pienaar of Montpellier ahead of the European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 3 Round 1 match between Leinster and Montpellier at the RDS Arena in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Eoin Lyons
By Eoin Lyons
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Former Ulster scrum-half Ruan Pienaar has been linked with a return to Irish shores, with the 34-year-old reportedly set to return to the province where he made 141 appearances over seven years. ulster rugby

Rugby journalist Mark Keohane is reporting that the South African was contacted by South Africa Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus to see if he would join the Springboks this summer but Pienaar refused, citing his imminent move to Ulster as the reason. This would mean that he would bring the curtain down on his career with French side Montpellier, with the South African starring in their recent Top 14 semi-final with against Lyon last night.

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Ulster will also welcome Dan McFarland as head coach of the club with Jono Gibbes leaving the province due to personal reasons.

McFarland may have to wait until mid-January in order to take the reins up north though, as he serves a nine-month notice period while the recruitment process gets underway.

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The 46-year-old was announced as Gibbes successor in April, with the former Connacht assistant coach looking forward to the challenge:

I am really excited that I will be taking on the Ulster Head Coach role. I know firsthand from my years visiting with Connacht and Glasgow the passion and fervour that makes playing in front of Ulster fans so special.

It's a club with a great history and I welcome the challenge of being a part of their future.

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