Jakkie Cilliers has joined French club Toulon from the Bulls Daisies, with Toulon head coach Stéphane Beyt-Gamonet describing the signing as the biggest in the club's history and drawing a direct comparison to Handré Pollard.
The 25-year-old utility back, who holds 26 Test caps and has accumulated 103 international points, was recruited after Beyt-Gamonet watched her performance against the United States during the recent two-Test series — which South Africa split, winning 34-21 at Ellis Park before losing 19-26 at Loftus.
"I watched the Test match between South Africa and the United States and, when I saw her kick during the game, I said to myself: 'Oh là là, that's not funny,'" Beyt-Gamonet told Nice Matin. "She is a kind of female Handré Pollard."
Cilliers topped the Women's Premier Division points-scoring charts in 2025 with 127 points and was integral to the Bulls Daisies claiming three consecutive league titles. She will replace Scotland international Chloe Rollie, who has returned home, though Beyt-Gamonet views the two as contrasting profiles — Rollie pace-oriented, Cilliers built around physicality and an extensive kicking game.
"She is a typical South African profile, with a mammoth kick, very tough in defence and attack, and a lot of experience at the highest level," the coach said.
Cilliers only took up rugby in 2021, having previously played netball for North-West University before being drawn into training with the Leopards women's team in Potchefstroom. She benefited from the guidance of Andre Pretorius, then head coach of the Leopards men's side, during that formative period, and was called into the Springbok Women's training environment the same year. She joined the Bulls Daisies in 2023.