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Ulster close in on All Black Charles Piutau
ESPN Staff
March 31, 2015
Charles Piutau looks set to be at Ulster next term © Getty Images
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Ulster are on the verge of completing the signing of All Blacks winger Charles Piutau.

Reports in New Zealand say the 23-year-old has agreed to join Ulster after the Rugby World Cup on a two-year deal worth in the region of NZ$1m (£510k) a season. On the day Jerome Kaino signed a new three-year deal with the New Zealand Rugby Union, all signs pointed towards Piutau following suit but the news of his decision to swap Auckland for Europe will come as a blow in his home country.

Piutau is regarded as a key future All Black and has 14 caps to his name. The reports suggest he will join Ulster at the start of 2016, but it would rule him out of the 2016 Olympics and the British & Irish Lions series the following year.

He can cover centre, wing and fullback and what slot into a backline that already features Andrew Trimble, Jared Payne and Tommy Bowe. The province are yet to make an official announcement over the recruitment of Piutau.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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