NEWPORT Gwent Dragons' South African number eight Bob Skinstad has denied he is moving to top English side Northampton Saints next season.

Former Springboks assistant coach Alan Solomons will be in charge of the Zurich Premiership club then and is believed to have lined-up his country's former captain.

Skinstad denied he had decided on such a move while Solomons, in charge of the Ulster team at Rodney Parade this weekend, said it was premature to be talking about a move.

But a source close to the club claimed this week that the deal was done and dusted.

Solomons told the Argus: "It's premature to talk about anything to do with North-ampton because I've only recently been appointed.

"The Northampton squad will be sorted out in due course. I'm focusing on this job with Ulster and looking no further than that at the moment."

Skinstad said: "There is no truth in the matter. It is pure speculation.

"If I was speculating, I would suggest a move to Northampton because of my association with Alan Solomons. I haven't made any decision on next season though I expect to be playing somewhere in Europe."

Many Dragons fans are hoping Skinstad will stay beyond his current contract, which takes to the end of the season.

Only a week or so ago, he told the Argus he would like to stay.

However, the Dragons have a glut of back-row forwards and only signed Skinstad as a stop-gap until the end of the season to cover losses during the Six Nations.

They have given no indication they are prepared to give him a longer term contract.

Current Northampton coach Wayne Smith joins up with former Wales coach Graham Henry's All Blacks coaching team, including current coach Steve Hansen, at the end of the season.

Solomons, a 54-year-old former Cape Town lawyer, has been in charge at Ulster since 2001 after his spell as Springboks' assistant to Nick Mallett.

He will be at Newport with his Ulster side for Saturday's Celtic League encounter when he will meet up again with Skinstad and Percy Montgomery.

He is keen to bring in his own men at Northampton, who are vying for the Zurich Championship play-offs, and, as well as Skinstad, is believed to be interested in another former Newport player, Robbie Kempson, and ex-Springbok Corne Krige.