The 24-year old made his name for the Blue Bulls in 2008 and returns to South Africa with the aim of winning a Springbok cap.

"The coaching staff, the management team, the facilities and the whole culture at Loftus is every rugby player's dream and I am very excited about my second spell with the Bulls," he said. "What I have experienced at the Bulls in 2008 is something that I do not want to exchange for anything. I would like to make a substantial contribution to the Bulls when I arrive in June and ultimately I want to represent South Africa."

"Ricky has always had the fight, and that is what they needed and I suppose that's why they opted for a scrumhalf like Ricky," coach Allister Coetzee said. "In the northern hemisphere, they don't play an expansive game and they don't play a nine that just feeds the fly-half all the time.

"He was quite effective around the rucks and mauls and defensively. From our point of view we're happy he had all the game time under the belt and he's match-ready. Obviously, it's warm-up conditions over here now and I'm looking forward to seeing him play."

"We're pleased with where we're at in terms of recruitment, and the stability of having so many guys extending their contracts this early means we can focus our attentions on making sure we achieve what we've set out to for the rest of this campaign," head coach Bryan Redpath said.

"I have just turned 31 years of age, and the opportunity to join Toulon gives me a chance to play in the French Top 14," he said. "I have made so many friends whilst playing for Sale Sharks and am sure that, in years to come, I will be back sat in the stands watching the team play."