Wandisile Simelane’s move from the Vodacom Bulls to the Sharks has reportedly fallen through after the two unions failed to agree to terms.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Simelane was set to take up a short-term move to the Sharks until the end of the season, with a view to a long-term contract at the end of the season.
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While the final details of the move still had to be finalised, it appeared that there was confidence it would happen, as Simelane was spotted in Durban, with permission from the Bulls.
However, The South African has now reported that the move has now been called off, as the Sharks and Bulls could not come to an agreement around the terms of the deal.
According to the report, the Bulls weren’t willing to accept any sort of loan deal or salary contribution and made that clear to the Sharks. After initially accepting those terms, the Sharks reportedly made a U-turn and proposed a loan deal after Simelane arrived in Durban, which was rejected by the Bulls.
Simelane will now return to Pretoria to finish the last season of his contract at Loftus Versfeld.
The collapsed move comes as a massive blow to the 25-year-old, who has played just five minutes as a substitute in the opening six rounds of the Vodacom URC.
It is the second time that a transfer involving Simelane has fallen through. In 2020, a reported move to the Stormers failed to fully materialise after the Lions activated a clause in Simelane’s contract that allowed them to match the Cape side’s offer and keep him for another season, after which he moved to the Bulls.
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