By Cherrybomb
May 25 2002

Gloucester and Thinus Delport have agreed terms, and now the South African will come to Kingsholm in a two year deal. Delport will arrive in the near future, and his contract officially starts on the 1st of July.

The South African has represented his country on numerous occasions, and should prove to be the boost Gloucester need at full-back. In the past we have always relied on Chris Catling, but it seems that his lack of kicking ability is too big a problem to keep him at fullback, as we saw in the Parker Pen semi-final, where his kicking often threw more wood onto the Sale fire.

As so many Kingsholm stars are being called up to international squads, Thinus will be someone we don't have to worry about because he has basically been told he will no longer play international rugby for South Africa. This means that come the autumn internationals, and during the six nations, we will still have big name players available.

Thinus is the first big signing for Nigel Melville, and maybe a boost in the second row and possibly cover at fly-half will be all Gloucester need to mount a sustainable challenge on holders Leicester.

Leicester have won the Heineken Cup for the second year in a row, with Austin Healey scoring a match winning try in front of 74 thousand fans at the Millenium Stadium. Munster were cruelly denied when a last minute scrum ball put in by the Munster scrum-half was illegally knocked out of his hands by Neil Back, but the referee didn't see so Leicester cleared.

Joe Ewens has left the club, after being on the fringe of international success in the summer last year when an injury ruled him out of the tour of America. He will join Rotherham, ruling out speculation that he would swap places with Stephane Glas at Phillipe's Bourgoin. Saint-Andre wanted Ewens and some money for Glas, who is looking less and less likely to join us.

The second round of the player of the season poll is now open, so vote to choose who joins Ludo, Forrester and Pucciarello in the final.

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