Wednesday 21st May 2008

Springbok captain John Smit will leave French club Clermont at the end of the season it was confirmed on Wednesday.

Smit and other overseas based players Percy Montgomery, Victor Matfield and Butch James will join the Springbok training squad based at Somerset West in Cape Town on May 26.

SA Rugby has confirmed that Smit will be available for selection for both Tests against Wales on June 7 and June 14 before returning to France on June 15 to allow him to play for Clermont in their French Top 14 semi-final on June 21, meaning he will not be available for the Test against Italy on the same date.

Should Clermont make the final on June 28, Smit will remain in France for that match too.

The matches will mark the conclusion of Smit's spell with Clermont. A South African franchise for him is still being finalised.

Similarly, Montgomery would be released back to Perpignan following the two Tests against Wales, should his club qualify for the French Top 14 semi-finals in this weekend's round of matches.

The World Cup winning full-back is also rumoured to be on the move with an announcement regarding his future in France expected this week after he met with Perpignan's President on Monday.

Matfield is again contracted to the Bulls, and therefore there are no complications with his recall. James' commitments to Bath for the season concluded with their defeat in the Guinness Premiership semi-finals to Wasps.

"The decision to return home was a terribly difficult one to make," Smit told the Clermont website.

"I'll really wanted to continue this experience, like I said when I arrived, I wanted to experience a new culture, a new rugby. It was really too short. But our sport's situation is very complex in South Africa and I understand why the Union wants to stem the tide of it's players leaving.

"I'll always remember the passion of the Clermont fans. It's a privilege to feel the support of all those people in the club's yellow and blue colours behind you.

"I've found the French people in general to be very generous. But I haven't left yet and I'm counting on doing something special with the ASM at the end of the season."

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