Dan Carter's move to Perpignan had highlighted the possibility of southern hemisphere stars playing European rugby while still being contracted to their home unions but the Boks may not sanction such a move for Burger.

The 25-year-old blindside has been linked with a move to Vicarage Road for part of the 2009/10 campaign, in a deal that would see him play Super 14 rugby for the Stormers, English rugby with Sarries and international rugby with the world champion Boks.

The Daily Mail suggested yesterday that the proposed deal would see the former IRB World Player of the Year sign a 10-match contract to play for Saracens across the first fourth months of the season.

Burger, whose contract with the SARU comes ton an end this year, would also represent Super 14 franchise the Stormers and would be released by Sarries for two of the Boks' autumn Test matches.

Any such deal would effectively mean 12 months' non-stop rugby for a player widely regarded as one of his country's greatest assets.

If the agreement did come into place, Burger would join Sarries off the back of the current Super 14 tournament and this year's Tri Nations and would leave Watford to return to the build up to the 2010 Super 14 season.

With the countdown to the 2011World Cup well underway by the time of Burger's suggested return, SA Rugby could view the deal as unhelpful in terms of their preparations for the defence of their world crown.

SA Rugby have confirmed, however, that they are yet to receive a formal approach from Saracens, who recently announced that Stormers assistant coach Brendan Venter would taking over from current director of rugby Eddie Jones next season.