CONFIRMED: 'Unlucky' SA centre leaves Premiership club

NEWS: Northampton Saints confirmed that centre Burger Odendaal will leave the club at the end of the 2024/2025 season.

He will reportedly head to Japan to join the Kintetsu Liners.

The 32-year-old arrived at Franklin’s Gardens in 2023, but he only made his debut in December of that year due to injuries.

Odendaal went on to play a key role in the Saints’ midfield and he picked up a 2023/2024 Premiership winners’ medal.

However, he also suffered a major knee injury in the Final at Twickenham against Bath.

His return to action would come just under nine months later in the Premiership Rugby Cup encounter with Ealing Trailfinders as a replacement.

More recently, Odendaal started both Champions Cup knock-out games against Clermont Auvergne and Castres Olympique last month

He was also given the captaincy for the Saints’ Premiership away win over Newcastle Falcons on April 18.

Unfortunately, that Kingston Park victory would prove to be his 17th and final game for Northampton after suffering a broken arm in a subsequent training session.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity and the privilege I have had to play for the club,” said Odendaal.

“Looking over the last few years, it was a rollercoaster with all the injuries. I really had to dig deep mentally.

“If I let myself down mentally, I think I would’ve been in a much different spot.

“I am proud of the way I went about all my rehab, trying to do as much as possible and go as hard as possible to get myself back onto the pitch. I spent loads of time with the strength and conditioning staff and we got really close.

“The atmosphere for the [Premiership] semifinal against Saracens last year was just unreal, it was an unbelievable experience and I managed to get a try.”

Reflecting on his final match for the Saints at Kingston Park, he added: “They always say play the game as if it is your last game, so if you look back at that, my last game I was captain of Saints and we won at Newcastle away.

“So, I am stepping away from Saints with a 100 percent win record as captain – that is hopefully one for the record books.”

Northampton’s Director of Rugby Phil Dowson paid tribute to the midfielder.

“Burger has been a legend, and he has just been unlucky,” said Dowson.

“From a performance point of view, Burger has been excellent. He has added some experience and maturity to our group, which we needed.

“He has worked his socks off to come back from injury and training regardless. It has been so good to get him back and it is so disappointing and frustrating and unfair that he has had this arm break towards the back end of the season, because he is a pivotal player in our group and has been great for the environment.

“He is the sort of player that just puts his head down and grafts and does it in the right way.

“Burger is a great example to the younger players in how to approach that ACL rehab.

“The physios couldn’t have been more positive, and it spoke volumes about him as a character.

“We are lucky to have had him in our environment and we are thankful for everything he brought to the club.”

Source: @SaintsRugby