Cheetahs coach Franco Smith has denied rumours that Bok utility back Johan Goosen will play for his team in this year's Super Rugby competition.

Goosen recently got out of his €500,000 (R7-2-million) a season contract with French club Racing 92, which was set to end in 2020, by retiring from the game and accepting a job as a commercial director at a Bloemfontein-based company.

There has since been speculation that the 24-year-old could come out of retirement to play for the Cheetahs in Super Rugby before joining English club Gloucester.

However, Smith says that will not be the case.

'There is no truth in it,' the Cheetahs coach told Netwerk24.

Smith, who was a Springbok assistant coach on the 2016 end-of-year tour, added that he and Goosen, who was part of the Bok squad, had never talked about the possibility of him playing for the Cheetahs.

'I have not thought it possible, because to my knowledge, Johan is contracted in France until 2020. We have not made him an offer or invited him back.'

If Goosen did play for the Cheetahs, they would need to pay a €1-million (R14.4-million) forfeit clause, which was included in his Racing contract.

Racing to take legal action against Goosen

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