Springboks full-back Willie le Roux has joined the Bulls on a three-year contract after spending four seasons with Japanese club Toyota Verblitz.

The move was announced by the Pretoria franchise on Tuesday three hours after Le Roux was included in the South Africa team to play Australia this Saturday in the Rugby Championship.

Le Roux will win his 84th cap at the weekend and is likely to be included in the 33-man Springbok squad that will defend the Rugby World Cup in France this September and October.

While his contract begins on July 1, the 33-year-old will be available for the Bulls only after the World Cup.

Bulls chief executive Edgar Rathbone said: "Willie is a world-class player with so much experience behind him.

"We believe that his wealth of experience will add more stability to our backline. His versatility will be of enormous value."

Le Roux is the latest signing by the Bulls, after director of rugby Jake White said that they must strengthen their squad if they hope to challenge for European trophies.

Bulls won Super Rugby three times in four seasons from 2007 and are the second most successful side in the major domestic competition, the Currie Cup, with 25 titles. 

But after stunning Leinster in Dublin to reach the 2022 United Rugby Championship (URC) final, which they lost to fellow South Africans the Stormers, the Bulls have battled in Europe.

This year, they suffered a 33-9 hammering from Toulouse in the Champions Cup round of 16 and lost 33-21 to the Stormers in a URC quarter-final.

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