The Northampton centre missed the first three months of the campaign after picking up a shoulder injury while playing in Japan last year. He suffered a hamstring tear after resuming training and then picked up a leg knock.
The former Lions captain could have been forgiven for thinking the game in England had it in for him. He signed for Wasps last season and played in their opening four Premiership matches, the last a 40-36 defeat to Northampton, before the club went into administration and he found himself out of a job.
“I was finding my feet and enjoying life in England when we had a meeting in October and that was it,” said Odendaal. “I felt I had had a couple of good performances, but suddenly I did not know what the future held. It was a nerve-racking experience.
“I spent every day for a month ringing my agent after waking up and asking whether there was anything for me. We sat in Leamington, not knowing whether to go back to South Africa or stay in the UK. It was frantic time for us because you felt things were out of control and I think I irritated my agent.”
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