Springbok and Stormers wing Gio Aplon’s preferred destination, if he leaves South African rugby, will be Japan, and not France, as earlier reports had indicated.
Western Province Rugby chief executive Rob Wagner has moved to dismiss reports that Aplon had signed a contract with French team Grenoble.
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Aplon’s agent, Hilton Houghton, said the report was untrue and indicated that he had not spoken to Grenoble or received an offer from the club.
Houghton revealed that there is a chance of Aplon staying at WP, but said that there was a strong possibility that the 31-year-old will move to Japan at the end of this year’s Super Rugby season.
“We are looking at Japan, definitely, that is his most likely destination (if Gio goes overseas),” Houghton said.
Being overlooked for Springbok selection may factor in the decision of the Stormers back to hasten his departure from SA rugby, as he wasn’t even named on the bench for the Boks’ November Tests last year.
Aplon has 17 Test caps to his name and is only contracted to WP until the end of the 2014 season.