Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen is to sign for Welsh club Newport.
The 30-year-old announced today he was close to finalising the move and would join the club after completing South Africa's Tri-Nations campaign at the end of August.
Van der Westhuizen is to sign a short-term contract with Newport but has not given up his ambition of playing for the Springboks.
"The deal is for eight months and Newport will structure it in such a way that I can come back to South Africa to play domestic rugby and challenge for a test place," he said in a statement.
"It gives me the chance to experience something different but at the same time add another dimension to my game. I know there can be no guarantees to me, but I am willing to back my own ability to make the squad when I return to South Africa."
Van der Westhuizen will spend September in Wales before returning home for the completion of the Currie Cup competition in October in a bid to win a place on the Springboks' end of season tour to Italy, France, England and the United States.
If he is successful he will rejoin Newport in December and remain with them until May.
The 1995 World Cup winner will join former Springbok coach Ian McIntosh at Rodney Parade as well as ex-Springboks Franco Smith and Adrian Garvey.
Newport have been drawn in the same group as Leinster, Toulouse and Newcastle Falcons for next season's Heineken European Cup.