Former Ulster and Ireland centre Stuart Olding will be in a position to resume his playing career from next season after agreeing a two-year deal with French ProD2 side Brive.
The 25-year-old, along with his provincial and international teammate Paddy Jackson (26), had their Ulster contracts, which were due to run until June 2019, revoked last month after a review conducted by the IRFU and Ulster following the Belfast rape trial verdict on March 28th.
Both men were acquitted of raping the same woman in June 2016 with Jackson also cleared of sexual assault. Two of their friends, who faced related charges, were also found not guilty.
Olding had been linked with a number of English clubs, all of whom distanced themselves from the speculation, but Brive's new head coach Jeremy Davidson, has persuaded him to join the French club, relegated from the French Top14 this season.
The 44-year-old Belfast born Davidson will also be a new face at the French club, having swapped his role as forwards’ coach at Bordeaux Begles for a three-year-contract at Brive. He has plenty of experience in ProD2 having coach Aurillac from 2010 to 2017, while working in a coaching capacity at Dungannon, Ulster and Castres.
He moved to Bordeaux at the behest of Jacques Brunel before the latter left to take up a position as French national team coach last December. Davidson won 32 caps for Ireland between 1995 and 2001, toured twice with the Lions including a 2-1 series win over the Springboks in 1997, and had two spells at Ulster, while also played for London Irish and Castres.
Olding, made 58 appearances for Ulster (2011-2017), winning his first Ireland cap against the USA in 2014 and the last of four against South Africa in 2016. He is a gifted inside centre who can also play outhalf and fullback.
Meanwhile, Connacht announced the signing of 21-year-old Fijian wing Sevu Reece from Waikato in New Zealand. A versatile player he is comfortable right across the back line and will provide increased options to Connacht’s new coach Andy Friend.
The Fijian was the youngest member of the Provincial Barbarians side that played against the British & Irish Lions in the opening game of their tour of New Zealand.
In 2016 he finished as the top points scorer for his club side Melville and helped them to their first Waikato championship in 35 years. His performances there earned him a place on the Waikato squad for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup. In that season he went on to make 12 appearances scoring seven tries in the process.
Reece was born and raised in Fiji and moved to New Zealand in 2014 where he attended Hamilton Boys’ High School. He will join Connacht after completing the current season with Waikato, a team that Jono Gibbes is set to take over having recently left Ulster to return to New Zealand because of family issues.
Gibbes had spoken to French Top 14 club La Rochelle where a vacancy as head coach had arisen but was recently pictured alongside his assistant coaches at Waikato former Ireland international, Nathan White, and Roger Randle, ahead of the Mitre 10 tournament that starts in August.
Friend said: “We are delighted to announce that Sevu Reece will be joining. He is an exciting attacking player who will be a further addition to our back line next season.”
