Reinach has played his last game for Saints as club plans fitting farewells

Chris Boyd has confirmed that Cobus Reinach will not play for Saints again.
Cobus Reinach's final Saints game was a win at Worcester in MarchCobus Reinach's final Saints game was a win at Worcester in March
Cobus Reinach's final Saints game was a win at Worcester in March

Reinach's Northampton contract runs out at the end of June and he is due to start work with new employers Montpellier on July 1.

With the Covid-19 pandemic having put a stop to rugby in March, Reinach's most recent Saints match was a Gallagher Premiership win against Worcester Warriors at Sixways.

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And he will now not get to say an on-field goodbye at Franklin's Gardens with rugby not due to return before July.

"Cobus's time with the Saints is finished," Boyd confirmed at Saints' online season ticket holders' forum on Wednesday evening.

"That is a difficult part of the transition for us because the contracts that finish on June 30 and the new ones that start on July 1 will be honoured.

"It's a very untidy way for Ben Franks to finish his rugby career - he's retiring and he was hoping to play again before that, particularly with Owen (Franks).

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"Cobus, who has been a crowd favourite and done a wonderful job for us during my time here, is also going.

"We've got to find a way to send those guys off from our club in the right way.

"Dylan Hartley retired this season having been a wonderful servant for Northampton Saints and we've got to find the right way to send Dylan off for being a great Saintsman.

"Whether we have to do it virtually or whether we have to wait until social distancing is not a problem, we need some sort of way.

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"It's tradition at Northampton Saints to present a number of things to the leaving players, including Academy players and guys on the roster who don't get a lot of attention.

"We've got to find a way to do that.

"In Cobus's situation he starts with Montpellier on July 1. I spoke to him two days ago and asked him how that was going to happen.

"He said to me he has got no idea.

"I said to him that we're not going to play before then and told him he could go earlier if he needed to, but he hasn't got a working Visa in France until July 1 so he's trying to work out if he's going to fly to Montpellier or drive for about 18 hours with a new baby.

"He's got some planning to do, but unfortunately he won't play for us again."

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Saints CEO Mark Darbon also had his say on the subject of fond farewells.

"I'd echo what Chris said," Darbon said. "We will find a way of doing something impactful for our departing players.

"We're working on it right now and we'd expect to share more information in due course.

"But we absolutely want to give these folks the send-off they deserve.

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"We've had some great Saintsmen who are sadly leaving under far from ideal circumstances."

First-team players confirmed to be leaving Saints ahead of next season

Ben Franks (retiring)

Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)

Mitch Eadie (Bristol Bears)

Players who left Saints last season

Dylan Hartley (retired)

Heinrich Brüssow (retired)

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