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Two more players recruited by the Lions, including Leicester's Viljoen

By Online Editors

15 Jul 2020

(Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

South African Super Rugby outfit Lions have continued their offseason recruitment with the signing of two more players, utility back EW Viljoen from Leicester and Bulls hooker Jaco Visagie.

Viljoen had gone to England hoping to make a lasting impression during the 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership season. However, in a campaign that saw the East Midlands club struggle for better match results and finances, the 25-year-old made just four appearances before the season was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The South African had made 28 appearances during three years at the Stormers before his switch to England and he will now hope his new Super Rugby club can help him realise the potential that went unseen in the Premiership. He is still in England awaiting flight clearance to take him to Johannesburg.

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It’s believed Jake White’s Bulls were initially interested in Viljoen but he has now pitched up at the Lions who are also welcoming Bulls hooker Visagie for next season. “It’s been an amazing journey, to say the least, filled with highs and lows, and I’m sincerely grateful for the opportunities that I have been granted at Loftus,” said Visagie.

“I’d like to thank my teammates, the management, the staff and everybody else that’s contributed to my career thus far. I’m excited about the next step and look forward to the journey ahead.”

Welcome to the Pride, Dubz 👏 pic.twitter.com/GuYJqHodjj
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) July 14, 2020

White added: “Jaco has been a loyal servant and warrior for the Bulls for ten years, and has given his best in that time. I wish him well as he embarks on this new chapter in his rugby career at the Lions.”

Visagie’s signing was confirmed just a couple of days after Bulls captain Burger Odendaal also opted to join the Johannesburg-based franchise.

“It is with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to the Bulls family‚” said Odendaal. “It was an honour to call Loftus home for the last nine years and I want to thank everyone who had an influence or part to play in my journey. I will cherish the good memories.”

The tonic to brighten up your Wednesday 🦁🇿🇦 https://t.co/ycOTsF3Afz
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 15, 2020

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 11 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

There is a continued murmur in local circles about reciprocal bi annual tours between SA and Argentine. Whether it's full blooded test tours or development tours or a mixture - ie touring with a "test" 20 and a development 20 the cream of which will be used in tests. We actually really enjoy playing the Argies and I believe they enjoy playing us. It goes back seventy years to the Junior Bok tours to Argentine involving Isaac van Heerden.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 19 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 20 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 24 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 27 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 32 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 32 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 37 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 41 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 45 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 54 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 58 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour