Harlequins, who spent three months this year at the foot of the Zurich Premiership table, yesterday signed the former South Africa captain Andre Vos on a 3-year deal, though he will not move to London until the Currie Cup ends in October.

Until last week, when England Rugby Ltd denied Rotherham promotion, Quins were one of several clubs fretting at the threat of relegation. Next season the bottom club are unlikely to be so lucky, though one can never be sure with Twickenham. The acquisition of Vos, who has won 32 caps, is a sign that Quins do not want to go through the experience again.

The Springbok, who is 27, will be a direct replacement for the former England flanker Steve White-Cooper, who is leaving the club for business reasons. Quins are also among a clutch of clubs being linked with the France flanker Olivier Magne, who is expected to leave Montferrand at the end of the season.

"It will be a wrench to leave South Africa and it will only be before I play my last game here that it will hit home," said Vos, whose fellow Springboks Pieter Rossouw and Robbie Kempson signed for London Irish and Ulster respectively this month. "I have played in the Super 12 for six years and I feel it is time for a change."

"We are delighted to sign Andre, who is an outstanding international forward," said Quins' chief executive Mark Evans. "He can play in any of the back-row positions and has shown his commitment to the club by signing for an extended period."

Bath, likewise desperate to regroup and reinforce after going through the same suspense as Harlequins, are reported to be on the verge of signing the Bourgoin centre Stéphane Glas and the Castres flanker Arnaud Costes. Glas, who has won 37 caps for France, has also been linked with Gloucester, the club that his current coach Philippe Saint-André was in charge of until late February.

"I thought I would be at Bourgoin for the whole of my career," said Glas, "but perhaps it is time to consider moving elsewhere, and why not England?" Costes, who has won 14 caps, would fortify the Bath pack, which has too often lacked resolve this season.

The Worcester flanker Kingsley Jones is set to rejoin Pontypridd next season. Jones, who spent two years with Gloucester, wants to return to his native Wales.