Former England and British & Irish Lions prop Matt Stevens has agreed to return home to Durban and play Super Rugby for the Sharks at the end of this season.

rugbyweek

According to reports in the Daily Mail Stevens has agreed to leave English Premiership Rugby club Saracens and end his career in Durban where he was born.

The thirty-one-year-old former international has signed the deal with the Sharks who played a Super Rugby warm up match in London last month.

The English Premiership club has strong ties with South African rugby but of late there has been a very strong link with the Sharks after Sharks CEO John Smit ended his career with the English club and then returned to the Sharks.

Stevens can play on either side of the scrum but will have a battle on his hands for selection as the Sharks have first-choice Springbok props Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira and Jannie du Plessis in their squad

The South African born England prop played 44 Tests for England after he moved to Bath in 2002 and was a British and Irish Lion in 2005 and 2013.

Stevens was tested positive for recreational drugs in 2009 and was banned for two years but came back an inspired player and won a Premiership Rugby title in 2011 with Saracens.