PRETORIA, South Africa -- Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn led an exodus of players out of the three-time Super Rugby champion Bulls and to overseas clubs on Tuesday, the latest group of South African internationals to head to big-paying teams in Europe and Japan. The Pretoria-based Bulls said the contracts of the eight players, all Springboks, had expired and they would leave before the start of the domestic Currie Cup this weekend. Their departure was confirmed three days after the Bulls lost to Australian team ACT Brumbies in the Super Rugby semifinals, the first time the Bulls have dropped a post-season game in South Africa. "These players all became Springboks at the Vodacom Blue Bulls, which speaks volumes of how much impact they had in our structures and teams," Bulls chief executive Barend van Graan said. The Bulls tried to retain a number of the players, but said they couldnt compete with the salaries overseas, which continue to draw away South Africas top rugby talent. Steyn, who has played more than 100 Super Rugby games for the Bulls and is the Springboks second-highest point scorer in tests, will join Stade Francais in France. Six of the eight players leaving Pretoria are still viewed as part of Springbok coach Heyneke Meyers plans and join a growing list of Springboks overseas. National try-scoring record holder Bryan Habana joined French club Toulon from Cape Towns Stormers this month, while fellow internationals JP Pietersen and Andries Bekker have signed for Japanese clubs. The 2.08-meter (6-foot-10) Bekkers international career was likely ended by his move to Japanese team Kobelco Steelers. Pietersen rocketed into the top 10 sports earners in South Africa after signing a $1.1 million per season contract with Japanese club Panasonic Wild Knights, South African newspaper The Sunday Times reported recently. Pietersens Japan deal was more than five times more than what he makes a year in South Africa off his provincial and national contracts combined. Along with Steyn, hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, lock Juandre Kruger, loose forwards Dewald Potgieter and Jacques Potgieter, scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, centre Wynand Olivier and fullback Zane Kirchner also officially left the Bulls. The Bulls announced later Tuesday they had signed scrumhalf Piet Van Zyl from the Cheetahs to replace Vermaak. Habana, Pietersen, Steyn, Ralepelle, Kruger, Jacques Potgieter, Vermaak and Kirchner are all current Springboks and the number of internationals now playing overseas and in different seasons will complicate Meyers plans for the national team, which starts its Rugby Championship campaign on Aug. 17 against Argentina. South Africa flanker Francois Louw and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar already play in Europe. No. 2-ranked South Africa won the last of its three southern hemisphere rugby titles in 2009. Brad Richardson Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Mikkel Boedker Jersey . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. https://www.cheapcoyotes.com/378z-dylan-strome-jersey-coyotes.html . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Niklas Hjalmarsson Jersey . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Jason Demers Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position.Manchester City fear Vincent Kompany could be out for a month after he suffered another muscle injury as the club progressed in the Champions League. The City captain, who has been plagued by recurring calf problems, was forced off after just seven minutes of the goalless last-16 second-leg tie against Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday night. Pellegrini says Kompany could be out for at least a month The Belgium international centre-back was injured as he slipped in a challenge with Kiev midfielder Vitaliy Buyalskiy and immediately kicked the ball out of play before signalling to the bench and hobbling down the tunnel, with a look of profound disappointment on his face. Kompany returned last month after suffering a grade-two tear to his calf against Sunderland on Boxing Day and, after City drew 0-0 at the Etihad to progress to the quarter-finals 3-1 on aggregate, boss Manuel Pellegrini confirmed Kompany has injured the same muscle again. Stats show Kompany concern Stats suggest captains injury could be major problem Vincent, unfortunately, has a muscle injury in his calf like he had before, he said. Well know more tomorrow or maybe the day after tomorrow how important it is, but always a muscle injury is minimum of one month.ddddddddddddFellow centre-back Nicolas Otamendi was also forced off with a problem, but Pellegrini does not think it is too serious. He said: Otamendi has an important kick but we think just a couple of days for him to recover. We will see the way he develops.Kompanys injury is a huge blow to Citys dwindling title challenge. He could miss crucial matches against West Brom and Bournemouth, as well as the clash against United at Old Trafford, which is live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm. Nicolas Otamendi was also forced off against Dynamo Kiev The centre-backs lay-off at the start of 2016 was the 12th time Kompany has been sidelined due to a calf injury since the start of the title-winning 2011-12 campaign, and his third this season.City manager Manuel Pellegrini, who at the time voiced fears Kompanys injury could be career threatening, warned last month that the 29-year-old could break down again. Kompany was sidelined at the start of the year after injuring a calf against Sunderland Its very difficult to find a particular thing about a muscle injury. Theres a lot of things you can do to try to have less injuries but no one will be sure you are not going to have any more, said Pellegrini.Eliaquim Mangala replaced Kompany against Kiev and Yaya Toure took over as captain, but less than 20 minutes later City suffered a further defensive blow when Otamendi was forced off with an apparent knee injury.City now head into Sundays Manchester derby with both of their first-choice centre-backs injured.Watch City take on Manchester rivals United live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Sunday from 3.30pm. Also See: Stats show Kompany concern Man City 0-0 Dynamo Kiev Pellegrini hails City progress When is the CL q-final draw? ' ' '
