Cornal heading for Cape Town

Cheetahs and Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks has signed a two-year contract with the Stormers.

The deal was confirmed on Wednesday, with the 27-year-old set to join the Cape side after this year’s World Cup.

The speedster, who originally made his name at international sevens level, will return to his roots as a Stormers player, having played his early provincial rugby for Boland, before becoming a full-time sevens player in 2012 and then joining the Cheetahs in 2014.

Hendricks made his Test debut in June last year, while the 2013 Springbok Sevens Player of the Year was also a key member of the Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning SA Sevens team in July 2014.

In all, he has played 11 Tests (as well as an additional match against the World XV) for the Springboks, scoring five tries.

WP director of rugby Gert Smal welcomed the signing.

'Cornal is tall and fast, which is what you need out wide at Super Rugby level, and he's also a proven performer at international level.

'He is a local player who is coming home to his roots, so it's an exciting signing for us on many levels. We look forward to seeing him in Stormers colours come 2016.'

While the Vodacom Bulls were also keen to get his signature, WP Rugby were understood to have made him a bigger offer to secure his services.

It's believed the contract was signed with Saru helping to keep Hendricks in South Africa with a Springbok deal to up his value and keep him from moving overseas.

Photo: Gerhard Steenkamp/BackpagePix

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