Luan Giliomee is a Bulls player from Tuesday, released early by the Sharks in a straight swap that sent Junior Springbok hooker Esethu Mnebelele to Durban. The utility back signed a three-year contract with the Bulls, announced in May alongside the rest of their 2026/27 recruits, and was always coming to Pretoria. He was not supposed to be there this week.
Giliomee is primarily a flyhalf who has been used at fullback, and his original arrival date was tied to the expiry of his Sharks contract. Johan Ackermann was still speaking about an October expiry as recently as mid-September, saying the player remained a Shark until that contract ran down.
Why Luan Giliomee’s Move Was Brought Forward
Mnebelele moved to Durban earlier than his own agreement required, and the Sharks agreed to send Giliomee the other way on the same terms. No fee has been reported. It is an early-release swap rather than a cash transfer.
Ackermann told Rapport he was grateful to JP Pietersen and Rory Duncan at the Sharks for letting Giliomee come across sooner. The Irish Times reported there was no acrimony on either side, with the view being that he would get more opportunity in Pretoria, including at his preferred position of outhalf.
He still started the Sharks’ opening two United Rugby Championship matches of the season, and his last commitment in black and white was the Leinster fixture on Saturday before he reported to Loftus Versfeld three days later.
What Did The Sharks Get For Luan Giliomee?
Mnebelele is a hooker who came through the Bulls system and chose Durban over Pretoria earlier this year, with the Stormers also in for him. SA Rugby magazine reported that the Bulls were prepared to offer him a five-year extension to keep him and that he opted for Durban anyway, the pathway to the number two jersey in Pretoria blocked by Johan Grobbelaar, Akker van der Merwe, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Marco van Staden, the last two props who cover hooker.
Rassie Erasmus invited him into the Springbok set-up in Ireland late last year, a call-up a knee injury cost him. He captained the Junior Springbok squad in Georgia in July, the same squad Giliomee was in.
Who Is Luan Giliomee?
Giliomee grew up in Ceres in the Western Cape and went to Hoërskool Charlie Hofmeyr, where he captained the first team at flyhalf through an unbeaten 2024 season and was named the best backline player at Oakdale Rugby Week. He played for Boland at Craven Week and was picked for SA Schools A at flyhalf.
The sevens came early. He was part of the South Africa Under-18 side that won bronze at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, and the speed that goes with that code has stayed in his game.
In July he was in Georgia with the Junior Springboks for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship, which South Africa won by beating France 16-5 in Tbilisi to go back-to-back as world champions.
He watched the final from outside the squad. Giliomee was sent off in the semi-final against England for an aerial challenge on fullback George Pearson, and although a World Rugby disciplinary committee dismissed the card, ruling that the incident did not involve foul play, Kevin Foote had already named his matchday 23 for the final with Alzeadon Felix at fullback.
What Luan Giliomee Did At The Sharks
The Sharks signed him in early 2025 and he helped their Under-21s to a national title in his first season there. He was called into the Blitzboks set-up, turned out for SA A against Zimbabwe and played through the Currie Cup.
His senior debut came against Munster at Kings Park in March 2026. He scored from fullback and had a hand in two more tries in a 45-0 win.
“Gilly is a special kid. You can see he’s got big-match temperament.” – JP Pietersen
Rugby365 put his range at scrumhalf, flyhalf and fullback and compared that versatility to Christian Cullen.
His final stretch in Durban was his loudest. He took Player of the Match in the Sharks’ United Rugby Championship opener on 26 September, a 41-24 win over the Ospreys, scoring twice. The first was a solo run from inside his own half past four defenders. Pietersen called him an exceptional talent with game sense, speed and a kicking game, and said he was glad the Sharks still had him for Leinster.
Collecting that award, Giliomee was still talking like a Shark, pointing to a young squad and a big home game against Leinster to come.
Where Luan Giliomee Fits In The Bulls Backline
Ackermann has described him as a player with X-factor who reads the game and can cover both 10 and 15, and he has not committed him to either.
“Once Luan joins us, he can also potentially play 10.” – Johan Ackermann
The queue is real. Curwin Bosch arrived in the same recruitment drive as a flyhalf to push Handré Pollard, and Ackermann has been open about rating what Bosch has shown in training. At the back the Bulls already have Willie le Roux, Devon Williams and Hakeem Kunene.
Ackermann has said he wants Giliomee to learn from Pollard and Le Roux while adding his own flavour rather than copying either of them, and that the Bulls would only settle on his best position once he was training with them. The Irish Times reported that the longer-term plan is a creative number 10 of a different style to Pollard, developed under Ackermann and backs coach Neil de Bruin.
That work starts with the Jukskei derby against the Lions, and Ackermann, speaking from Ireland after the Bulls’ 26-22 loss to Munster, has already cooled expectations of an immediate debut.
“I can’t say whether he will play against the Lions. It’s a big match and expecting a guy to learn everything within three training sessions may be a step too far.” – Johan Ackermann
