Bismarck and Montpellier part ways early

World Cup-winning Springbok Bismarck du Plessis will leave Montpellier with a year left on his contract, it has been announced. 

The 37 year-old has put in a good shift for the Top 14 club, having turned out for them on 108 occasions. 

Du Plessis garnered a great reputation in France for his typically hard, abrasive and skilful style of play which earned him 79 caps on the international scene for South Africa. 

His 108 appearances for Montpellier yielded 27 tries as well as two European Challenge Cup titles. He is one of 14 players being released by the club.