Koch chooses Stade Francais over Sharks
THE Sharks have lost out on the signature of Vincent Koch, after the Springbok chose to stay in Europe and move to Stade Francais instead of returning to South Africa.
If the 32-year-old had become the latest in a long list of signings by the Sharks, he would have been returning to his roots – he comes from Empangeni in Zululand in the north of KwaZulu-Natal.
Koch is a free agent after Wasps, his English Premiership club, went insolvent a few weeks ago, and it emerged at the weekend that the Sharks were looking to bring him home to fill an upcoming gap in their front row – current captain Thomas du Toit is looking at a move to English club Bath.
The Sharks’ American owner, Marco Masotti, confirmed that they were in the market for Koch, as was his former club Saracens, but the bigspending Paris club landed the big fish, at least for the time being, as he has only signed a short-term deal.
Stade Francais said in a statement that they had signed Koch as a “medical joker”, which basically means that he is a temporary signing to solve an injury crisis.
The Parisian club said they had recruited Koch, along with English wing Paolo Odogwu and Fijian fullback Peniasi Dakuwaqa.
“Three players join us to compensate for the long-term absences of Paul Alo-Emile, Sefanaia Naivalu and Telusa Veainu. Welcome to Vincent Koch, Paolo Odogwu and Peniasi Dakuwaqa,” Stade Francais said.
Koch, who was a Premiership and Champions Cup winner at Saracens before recently moving to Wasps, is a prop highly valued for his experience and versatility. He has played 35 Tests for the Boks – most of them as a key member of the “Bomb Squad” – since making his debut in 2015.