Gerbrandt Grobler’s stay was short in Ireland but it certainly wasn’t forgettable.
The South African lock spent one season at Munster before moving on to Gloucester this summer following a turbulent campaign in Limerick where he was heavily criticised for a previous drugs ban.
Grobler received a two-year ban from the sport after failing a drugs test following a Currie Cup match in 2014 and the IRFU were heavily criticised for approving his signing after testing positive for the anabolic steroid drostanolone.
The signing contradicted the IRFU’s ‘zero tolerance’ approach to doping but Grobler said in an interview with The Guardian that he was discussing the possibility of signing a three-year contract with the union but the ‘media fiasco’ over his contract ultimately forced him to look abroad.
“There was actually a three-year contract on the table,” said Grobler. “There was a bit of debate whether or not I was going to stay and then, when the news hit, it was like: ‘He is going to leave; he should leave.’
“I was contracted with the IRFU and there were a few conversations about signing a three-year deal. But obviously that was shot down very quickly after the media fiasco.
“I didn’t want to leave at that stage but I learned a lot and it was like a year was enough for me of being questioned, even if it was four years ago. Nobody likes their past being thrown in their face the whole time and you can only take it for so long.”
Ulster and Ireland flanker Chris Henry was a vocal opponent of the signing of Grobler and said earlier this season that the signing of foreign players with a proven doping conviction was unacceptable.
“If foreign players have been caught doing that, it is hindering home-grown players who are doing it the right way,” the Lisburn man continues.
“I would be the first to say the province has been allowed to have four or five players, and you look at the guys who have been the massive positives, the Robbie Diacks, the Rob Herrings, that’s fantastic that they have decided to come over here and contribute and do it the right way.
“But ultimately, if someone is going to take short-cuts and it is going to close the door for home-grown player from a province, then that is unacceptable. If you asked most players from Ireland they would say the same thing.
“Whenever I speak to the younger lads here, obviously players are going to be ready earlier, physically ready. But it doesn’t happen for every player. It took me until I was 24 to be physically ready to play and within a year I was playing for Ireland.
“That’s what I would say to any player; you have got to be patient, do the training, eat right, but you really shouldn’t be taking anything else to increase your chances because ultimately you are going to be sitting there and you don’t want to have regrets.
“There is more to rugby than being big and lifting heavy weights, that would be my advice to any young player.”
