SOUTH AFRICAN BACK row Pedrie Wannenburg will leave Ulster at the end of this season.
Wannenburg arrived at Ravenhill prior to the 2010/11 season and has done little other than impress during his time in the number eight jersey.
Capped 20 times by the Springboks, the 31-year-old played for the Blue Bulls prior to his European jaunt.
With a young family he may seek a move back to his homeland rather than a lucrative switch to the French Top 14.
Wannenburg’s departure from Ulster is an amicable one, he is a casualty of the IRFU’s redrafted rules on non Irish eligible (NIE) players.
Business end
Each province will be limited to five NIE players, one of which must be a prospect who may become eligible in future. Ulster are likely to have Jared Payne, Johann Muller, John Afoa, Adam D’Arcy and Ruan Pienaar in their ranks next season.
Speaking about the exit, Ulster director of rugby, David Humphreys said:
“While we’re announcing now that Pedrie will be leaving us come the end of the season it does seem premature to be wishing him, his wife Evette and baby daughter Isabelle well at this stage as I know he remains absolutely committed to our cause as we enter the ‘business-end’ of the season”
Ulster say they will finalise their playing squad for the 2012/3 season under new coach, Mark Anscombe, in the coming weeks.
