Racing 92 have announced that Hacjivah Dayimani will join Springbok captain Siya Kolisi at the French giants next season.
The South African loose forward and English centre Sam James joined the band of overseas players in the Top 14 when they were named among seven new recruits by Racing on Tuesday.
The list also included former England captain Owen Farrell, whose arrival had been announced in January, Chile hooker Diego Escobar and France internationals Romain Taofifenua and Demba Bamba who arrive from Lyon.
The 26-year-old Dayimani was an age-group star but has been consistently overlooked for Springbok selection in spite of a series of impressive performances for the DHL Stormers since 2021.
Dayimani and Kolisi, who previously captained the Stormers, are set to face their former team in the Champions Cup after the EPCR competition’s pools were drawn on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old James has been the heartbeat of English club Sale since making his debut in 2013.
He played predominantly as a centre, but also at fullback and fly-half, he went on to make 244 appearances for his boyhood club.
James represented England against the Barbarians in 2017 before going on the tour to Argentina that summer but never earned a full cap.
Another English recruit is 23-year-old flyhalf Dan Lancaster, son of Racing director of rugby Stuart Lancaster, who arrives from second division Ealing.
Escobar, 24, made two appearances at last year’s Rugby World Cup, starting in the 42-12 defeat by Japan, and arrives in Paris from Santiago-based Selknam.
Racing finished sixth in the regular season before losing to Bordeaux-Begles in the playoffs.
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