Harlequins’ links with South African rugby continues to see Super Rugby talent make the switch to the Stoop, after Tyrone Green finalised terms.
As revealed by The Rugby Paper on May 17, the full-back will join up with the Harlequins squad soon after exercising the option to cancel his contract with the Lions.
The 22-year-old follows Stephan Lewies, Travis Ismaiel, and Andre Esterhuizen in making the move to the Stoop over the past 12 months.
And Green, who can also play on the wing, drew comparisons from Harlequins head of rugby Paul Gustard to Mike Brown for the tenacity of his play.
Speaking ahead of Green’s arrival, Gustard said: “We are delighted to welcome Tyrone and his partner Erin to Harlequins and the UK. Tyrone is someone I have been watching for some considerable time having been alerted to his performances by my good friend Ernst Joubert in South Africa.
“I am sure our fans will be excited by watching footage of him from his junior international games and Super Rugby where he was one of the standout performers in the first few rounds of this year’s competition. He was in the top ten for defenders beaten in this year’s truncated Super Rugby season, which is no mean feat in such an attack-inclined league.
“Over the last two years he has cemented a role in a dangerous, attack-focused team at the Lions alongside established Springboks and veteran Super Rugby players. He has electric feet and some beautiful skills having developed as a fly-half at junior levels, but it is his tenacity and fight in contact that really caught my eye.
“He fights and twists and turns violently through contact, which is so vital in modern day rugby, and possesses the kind of desire you see from a Harlequin great in Mike Brown.”
Green was one of four players to cancel their contracts with Johannesburg-based Lions on May 15, with Springboks star Malcolm Marx also departing.
While the hooker’s next move looks set to be in Japan, Green explained his delight at the prospect of playing in the Premiership.
“I think it’s very exciting, I’ve always wanted to make a move to England since I was young, and Harlequins is one club that’s appealed to me for quite a while now.
“I spoke to Gussy and just what he said, the way you handle things at Harlequins, the interest he takes in the players, I think that was a big attracting factor for myself. And also, the rugby that Harlequins has been playing is very entertaining; that was a big deciding factor for me in the decision process.”
Green continued: “I think with Marcus Smith at fly-half, I’ve played against him at junior level at the U20s World Cup, he’s a great fly-half, he gets the backline going. But also, it’s a very good league to get the attacking game going, and I think it’s just the type of rugby Harlequins play, especially in the backline, it feels like they can have a go; they try to beat them, offload. I think the flow and the vision that Harlequins play with, it’s very entertaining, it fits quite well into the style that I like to play.”
