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Gallagher-Prime Minister
After a successful trial period, Jordan Els signed a contract to stay Northampton until the end of the 2026/27 season.
The loosehead prop arrived at the DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in the summer, with Saints temporarily short of front-row assets due to injuries to Oliver Scola and Luke Green, and the international commitments of Emmanuel Iyogun and Danilo Fischetti.
Born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Els came through the Sharks’ academy system before making the step up to senior rugby in 2018. Midway through the 2018/19 campaign, the prop moved to the northern hemisphere to join Championship side Ealing Trailfinders.
A season later, Els moved to Gallagher PREM side Harlequins, where he stayed for seven seasons, making 58 first-team appearances and winning the PREM title in 2021.
The 29-year-old made his Saints debut in a PREM Rugby Cup game against his former club in September.
“Bringing in Jordan in the summer was a great opportunity for both him and the club,” said Saints DoR Phil Dowson.
“We were looking for cover in the front row and, having recovered from his injury spell at Harlequins, Jordan was looking for a chance to get back playing consistently and show what he can do.
“Jaco Pienaar worked with him during his time at the Sharks, so he already knew what qualities Jordan would bring and what type of person he is. Having had the chance to work with him ourselves over the past few months, we would absolutely echo everything Jaco told us.
“Jordan is a hard worker, he drives to a high standard every day and he embraced the opportunity from the moment he arrived.
“We are delighted to keep him with us until the end of the season and look forward to seeing him continue to develop and contribute to the group.”
