Harlequins last night defended the signing of Geo Cronje, the lock forward dropped from South Africa's squad last year before being cleared of allegations of racism.

Despite the prevalence of South African players in the Zurich Premiership, where they are classified as Europeans after last year's Kolpak ruling, Quins' capture of the 24-year-old Cronje, a reclusive figure who dislikes touring and who is rarely heard speaking English, was unexpected.

He is due to make his debut against Wasps on November 5, alongside the New Zealand second-row Simon Maling, although his club in South Africa, the Pretoria-based Blue Bulls, insist he has not signed.

"I realise this could be viewed as a controversial signing, but that is not how I see Geo's arrival," said Quins' chief executive and head coach Mark Evans, whose club are marooned at the bottom of the Premiership after seven successive defeats.

Cronje, an icon of the Afrikaner right, was last year accused of twice refusing to share a room with his black Springbok team-mate Quinton Davids and was dropped before the World Cup.

"His union held an extensive investigation and he was cleared," said Evans. "As far as I am concerned Geo is a very good player, simple as that. We have a multiracial squad and if I thought for a moment that there would be a problem I would not have signed him."

Cronje is contracted to the Bulls until next year but has a clause in his contract which allows him to move if he receives an offer higher than his province can match.

"I spoke to Geo this afternoon for the first time and he made me aware that he had been given an offer by Harlequins" said the Bulls' chief executive Stefan Pretorius. "I doubt we will be able to match it, given the weakness of the rand against the pound. It will probably be in the region of £100,000, which is far more than we can afford."

Cronje denied yesterday that he had signed for Quins, but the club would not have announced his move had the ink on the contract not dried. "Geo approached us," said Evans. "It was not a difficult decision to sign him."

Two investigations were held into Cronje's rooming arrangements, both exonerating him. The second hearing decreed that the swapping was not a racial incident, although the player had admitted telephoning his father to ask if it was permissible to room with a black man. Cronje has an aloof reputation and refuses treatment from the Bulls' masseuse on the grounds that it is inappropriate.

Evans is still considering strengthening his squad. "Geo will be the last signing this week," he said. "We have no intention of finishing at the bottom of the Premiership, regardless of whether the first division champions are likely to meet the entry criteria.

"The financial consequences of relegation are catastrophic and the reason why we did not strengthen our second row in the summer was that no world-class players were available then, with the southern hemisphere season not ending until this month."

Two seasons ago Newcastle turned to the southern hemisphere to stave off relegation. One of the players they signed, the South Africa flanker Warren Britz, has now joined Natal Sharks, and the Falcons yesterday replaced him with the New Zealander Cory Harris, the former Pontypridd and Celtic Warriors wing-forward.