Centre Braam van Straaten could join Joost van der Westhuizen in playing their last game for the Springboks at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday when they tackle the All Blacks in a Tri-Nations game.

According to a report in Friday's Cape Times a Springbok management source has confirmed that Van Straaten has agreed to sign a contract to play for Leeds Tyke in the English Premierhip. Welsh club Newport have also insisted that Van der Westhuizen honour the contract he signed with them, despite Sarfu efforts this week to block the transfer.

Van Straaten confirmed on Wednesday that the deal with newly promoted Leeds was virtually sealed, says the report. The 29-year-old did not feature in coach Harry Viljoen's 32-man training squad in Plettenberg Bay earlier this year, but got the nod after shocking goalkicking cost the Boks a victory against the All Blacks at Newlands.

The Western Province star immediately turned the Boks goalkicking fortunes around, playing a key role with the boot in the 20-15 victory over the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria the next weekend. It is sure the latest rumours will irk Gert Smal, WP coach, as he already this week lashed out at agents for the role they play in players' movements.

Smal on Friday denied that exciting WP and South African under-23 centre Stuart Abbott is about to join another English Premiership club Wasps. According to a report in a London newspaper Abbott will run out for Wasps as early as next weekend. However, the 23-year-old, who has British citizenship, denied a move.

He admitted that Wasps approached his agent, but added that he is contractually committed to WP until the end of the season and that he wants to use the Currie Cup as a steppingstone to Springbok colours.

The South African Rugby Football Union could soon be forced to rethink their policy of not selecting overseas-based players for the Springboks. The pound is becoming more and more of a lure to local players and more players could soon join the exodus. Springbok coach Harry Viljoen is apparently keen on retaining Van Straaten and Van der Westhuizen's services, but the current Sarfu attitude on overseas-based players could put a spanner in the wheel.

The Van der Westhuizen saga is far from over. According to newspaper reports Newport are prepared to go to court to ensure that the 74-Test veteran joins them as planned on September 1. Sarfu's Rian Oberholzer on Monday said he would fight tooth and nail to retain Van der Westhuizen because Newport had not cleared the move with the national body. Sarfu has already complained to Newport and the International Rugby Board about the matter.

However, Van der Westhuizen's agent Craig Livingstone has indicated that the Bok halfback will have to honour his commitments. If he does not, Newport are already investigating other avenues to ensure that Van der Westhuizen does honour the commitment he made to them back in June.

"The only outstanding point at the moment is the transfer fee to Sarfu and that will be paid by Newport's owner Tony Brown," Livingstone said. "As far as I am concerned that is the only thing still outstanding and Joost will be heading to Wales as planned," the Pretoria News quoted Livingstone.

"We have always gone through the channels. We have been very open and the deal was negotiated through Springbok business unit manager Butch Watson-Smith and Harry Viljoen was kept in the loop at all times."