Edinburgh add to South African contingent
TRANSFER NEWS: Edinburgh Rugby announced the signing of versatile 25-year-old back Henry Immelman from French TOP14 side Montpellier, adding depth and quality across the outside backs for the capital club.
Immelman learned his trade at the prestigious rugby nursery, Grey College, in Free State and featured in the U20 provincial championships (reaching the final), CUT Ixias Varsity Cup and Free State XV squads.
He then joined Montpellier in 2016, where he has spent the past five seasons in the French top flight, where he helped the club to a third and first-place regular-season finish in 2017 and 2018 (finishing as runners-up in 2018) while former Scotland Head Coach Vern Cotter was at the helm.
Immelman has scored 13 tries in his 75 appearances for the club and will add an exciting combination of pace, dynamism and power to the Edinburgh backfield.
A 𝘽𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙏 across the park!
🙋♂️ How excited are you about our new signing? pic.twitter.com/pkXLxoy5pJ
— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) April 29, 2021
He said: “I was really excited when I heard about Edinburgh being interested in me. After five seasons in France, I was considering a new experience in another league, so it was a no brainer.
“It’s an amazing club with a lot of history and, after speaking to Richard Cockerill [Edinburgh Head Coach], the vision was clear where they saw me fitting in and how I can contribute.
“The PRO14 – especially with the potential for the four new South African sides joining next season – will be a really great league to be part of and hopefully we’ll see Edinburgh do great things.
“I just want to get there, do my best, play rugby and experience a new home, a new competition and see what I can give back to Edinburgh.”
Edinburgh Rugby Head Coach, Richard Cockerill, said: “We’re delighted to announce Henry [Immelman] has signed for us despite a number of offers from elsewhere.
“He’s a very good player, a big physical ball carrier, with a big boot on him and will really intensify the competition for places in a number of areas in our squad next season.
“He’ll certainly add to our threat in the wide channels where we’ve already got some quality options and players coming through the system.
“We’re putting together a really exciting group for the new season, one which we hope our supporters can see taking shape and can visualise running out before a big crowd at the new stadium.”
“The PRO14 – especially with the potential for the four new South African sides joining next season – will be a really great league to be part of and hopefully we’ll see Edinburgh do great things.
“I just want to get there, do my best, play rugby and experience a new home, a new competition and see what I can give back to Edinburgh.”
Edinburgh Rugby Head Coach, Richard Cockerill, said: “We’re delighted to announce Henry [Immelman] has signed for us despite a number of offers from elsewhere.
“He’s a very good player, a big physical ball carrier, with a big boot on him and will really intensify the competition for places in a number of areas in our squad next season.
“He’ll certainly add to our threat in the wide channels where we’ve already got some quality options and players coming through the system.
“We’re putting together a really exciting group for the new season, one which we hope our supporters can see taking shape and can visualise running out before a big crowd at the new stadium.”
Immelman will join compatriots such as WP Nel, Boan Venter, Pierre Schoeman, Jaco van der Walt, Luan de Bruin and Jordan Venter in the capital.
