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World Cup winner Marvin Orie's move to the Sharks has been confirmed by Bulls' coach Johan Ackermann.
Orie signed a short-term contract with the Bulls this year after two seasons with Top 14 outfit USA Perpignan. Despite fracturing his thumb in a recent Currie Cup fixture, Ackermann revealed he made important contributions off the field.
Now, the Bulls boss revealed that the 2023 Rugby World Cup winner is off to southern rivals the Sharks.
"We wanted to be fair to Marvin, he joined us and contributed tremendously," said Ackermann.
"His attitude towards the young guys [was great] and he helped Phiwe [Nomlomo] and the other coaches as well.
"He suffered a fractured thumb [against the Lions], so he wasn't up for selection [against the Cheetahs] anyway.
"And to be fair, we knew we wouldn't have been able to keep him beyond the Currie Cup. We did the gentleman thing by allowing him to leave and join the Sharks. It would be unfair of us to keep him here.
"The Currie Cup [league phase] officially ends on Saturday, and it allows him to settle in with his family and the Sharks."
Orie has 17 Springbok caps and featured in the pool stages of their successful 2023 RWC campaign. The 32-year-old lock has a wealth of experience, having earned 132 caps across five major franchises.
The former Bulls star is among esteemed company in the Sharks' lock stocks, with Bok legend Eben Etzebeth and former Leinster player Jason Jenkins already at the star-studded franchise.
