How the Franco Mostert saga has unfolded
» May 30: Signing announced
GLOUCESTER confirm the signing of Franco Mostert from the Lions. MOSTERT says: “I’m excited about this move, because it’s a new chapter in our lives.”
» May 30: Lions dispute signing
WITHIN hours of Gloucester’s announcement, reports in South Africa say the Lions are contesting the move.
Chief executive Rudolf Strauli told Sowetan Live: “We are contesting it because it is a transgression of World Rugby’s player movement regulations.”
» June 7: Vaughan defends move
STEPHEN Vaughan told Gloucestershire Live that the Lions have not directly contacted the club over the Mostert dispute and insists the club have done nothing wrong.
He says: “The reality is we’ve done the same in terms of signing Franco than we have with every single player and every other club does exactly the same thing.”
» October 10: Lions pursue fight
THE Lions claim they are still in dispute with Gloucester over the signing of Mostert.
“Franco is still contracted by us and we are still in the middle of a dispute with Gloucester,” chief executive Rudolf Straeuli tells South African media outlet The Citizen.
“He must honour his contract, with all respect to Franco, but my board told me I must act against Gloucester.”
Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann responds by saying he expects Mostert to join the club in November.
» October 26: South Africa head coach unsure
SOUTH Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus admits he’s unsure over whether Mostert will play against England at Twickenham.
Non-english players are not allowed to be released by Premiership clubs for matches that are outside the international window.
Erasmus said: “If he is a Gloucester player he won’t be available for the English Test match and if he is a Lions player he will be.”
» October 27: Mostert at Kingsholm
MOSTERT watches Gloucester’s Premiership Cup game against Wasps at Kingsholm, suggesting the move is set to go throu.
» October 30: Mostert to miss England game
IT is confirmed that Mostert will not play for South Africa against England.
Erasmus says: “It’s such a touchy thing at this stage, and for him personally, to just settle in at Gloucester, I decided not to involve him for this weekend – for him personally just to settle into his new club.”
Gloucester head of academy Richard Whiffin also rules out the possibility of Mostert playing in the Premiership Cup game at Bristol.
» November 12: World Rugby asked to intervene
IT is reported in South Africa that the Golden Lions Union and South Africa Rugby have made a joint complaint about the signing.
They claim that negotiations began while Mostert was still under contract with the Lions and would not release the clearance certificate for him to play.
Vaughan reiterates his stance that the club has done nothing wrong and said they could not apply for his work visa or registration until after his contract began on November 1.
“We contacted Franco the same way we’ve contacted other players since the year dot, the same as every club in every union in the world,” said Vaughan.
» November 27: Mostert joins squad
ACKERMANN says that Mostert has arrived, however, they are still waiting for international clearance to register him to play and Ackermann said: “Franco has now joined us. He’s in Gloucester, he’s met the squad, he’s here.”
» November 30: Mostert is a Gloucester player
MOSTERT is named on the bench for Gloucester’s Premiership game against Worcester.
IT is confirmed that the club have received the registration for him to play after it was being withheld by the Lions.
» December 1: Mostert makes Gloucester debut
HE receives big cheers from the crowd as his name is read out before the game and again when he runs onto the pitch with eight minutes left of Gloucester’s win over Worcester.
» December 3: Lions refuse to give up
THERE are reports in South Africa that the Lions have sent a strong request to World Rugby, asking them to reconsider their decision. THEY are allegedly unhappy that Gloucester announced Mostert would be joining them while he was still under contract with the
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