Leicester have appointed the South African, Heyneke Meyer, as their new head coach. Meyer has signed a three-year deal with the Tigers and replaces Marcello Loffreda who was sacked two weeks ago.

Meyer, who will begin work at Welford Road before the new Guinness Premiership season gets under way, said: "I have always thought that if I want to get back into rugby it must be with one of the best clubs in the world, and I truly believe Leicester Tigers are one of the best clubs in world rugby. I know there are a lot of competitive clubs in the Guinness Premiership and I am looking forward to the challenge with Leicester Tigers.''

The 40-year-old previously coached Blue Bulls in his homeland and had been strongly linked with the Springboks' head coach position before missing out to Peter de Villiers earlier this year. The Tigers chairman, Peter Tom, hailed Meyer's arrival, saying it was a "crucial time" for the club. "We believe Heyneke is the outstanding candidate for a job which attracted a massive amount of interest from coaches all over the rugby world," he said. "He has a superb record in South Africa - and we were very impressed by his levels of professionalism, preparation and enthusiasm when he spoke to us.

''Heyneke has dealt with top-quality international players in his time with the Bulls and in working with the South Africa national squad. He has also developed players from within the ranks at his previous clubs and he has an impressive record of success in a very competitive environment.''