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The New England Free Jacks have signed South African center Wayne van der Bank from the Pumas. With the contract running for five years through the 2026 Major League Rugby season, it’s the longest player deal publicly disclosed in the league to date. It could see the 24-year-old USA-qualified in 2027.
van der Bank joined the Pumas for the 2020 Currie Cup and then went on to start five of six games during the Super Rugby Unlocked campaign. He had previously spent four seasons with the Golden Lions playing in the SuperSport Challenge with his senior Currie Cup debut coming in 2019.
Comfortable at either midfield position, van der Bank follows new Head Coach Scott Mathie from South Africa to Boston. The club also featured countrymen Pieter Jansen, Erich de Jager, and Tera Mtembu in 2021 with Stephan Coetzee joining on a short-term deal near the end of the season.
