[CONFIRMED] Riaan Viljoen moves to Sharks

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Griquas CEO Arni van Rooyen today confirmed to rugby365 that star fullback Riaan Viljoen has signed to play for the Sharks next season.

The move was hinted at in a Sunday newspaper a few weeks back, but at that stage, Viljoen’s agent insisted that no deal had yet been done â€" this despite information that we had from within the Griquas camp that Viljoen had committed his future to Durban. Van Rooyen’s confirmation is probably about as much further proof as we need to say with certainty that Viljoen will be a Shark in 2012.

Other players confirmed as leaving Griquas before next season are scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius (Waratahs), flank Davon Raubenheimer and centre Barry Geel (both Cheetahs).

http://www.sharksworld.co.za/2011/07/27/griquas-confirm-viljoens-sharks-move


This is the best player to move to the Sharks since Bismarck's move to Durban!!!

 

[Draggs]

Excellent news for the Sharks, Cheetahs will be disappointed though.
He is a very underrated back who, along with a massive boot, can trouble any defence. It will be good to see him compete with Ludik for the 15 shirt.

 

[dan-the-man]

I might very well support the Sharks again!!!!

My 2012 team: 15. Viljoen 14. Ludik 13. Terblanche 12. Lambie 11. Mvovo 10. Michalak 9. Hoffmann 8. Alberts 7. Deysel 6. Daniel 5. Sykes 4. Mostert 3. Bresler 2. du Plessis 1. van Staden

16. Burden 17. Beast 18. Skeate 19. Kankowski 20. McLeod 21. JLP 22. JPP

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Man, you are a joke...

Anton Bresler as a prop? Sykes and Mostert who moved to Europe at lock?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Let's see what my fav. line-up for the Sharks would be with the signing of Viljoen...


1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Anton Bresler
5. Alistair Hargreaves
6. Keegan Daniel
7. Jean Deysel
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Frederic Michalak
10.Patrick Lambie
11.Lwazi Mvovo
12.Meyer Bosman
13.Marius Joubert
14.JP Pietersen
15.Riaan Viljoen

16.Craig Burden
17.Wiehahn Herbst
18.Ross Skeate
19.Willem Alberts
20.Ross Cronje
21.Louis Ludik
22.Adi Jacobs

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

With this 22 selection, we have 5 possible wingers, 3 possible fullbacks. That's why we don't need Ndungane. McLeod is not good enough, easy as that. Conrad Hoffmann would be the first reserve for the backline, being able to play scrum half and fly half

 

[Rhyer]

And the annual poaching of Cheetahs and Lions begins...

 

[psychic duck]

With this 22 selection, we have 5 possible wingers, 3 possible fullbacks. That's why we don't need Ndungane. McLeod is not good enough, easy as that. Conrad Hoffmann would be the first reserve for the backline, being able to play scrum half and fly half

but there is still a problem with your team, Michalak came to play fly half, he left Toulouse they saw him as a scrum half and were only going to keep him to play there

I think the Sharks now need to move one of Ludik/Ndungane/Jacobs/Mvovo on to another team then now, there is not room for all of them in the 22, at least one of them should go

Also who is captain of that team?

is Terblanche retiring after the Currie Cup?

And the annual poaching of Cheetahs and Lions begins...

It had already started I'm afraid, so far the Cheetahs have already lost two of their other better players Wilhelm Steenkamp and Sarel Pretorius

the Stormers want Brüssow now as well, I think I heard somewhere that somebody is interested in the Ebersohns...

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Don't think we should feel sorry for the Lions (who have massive cash to spend on big names they are about to sign) and Cheetahs (who are poaching from Griquas themselves).


To top it all off, signing Riaan Viljoen has nothing to do with the Cheetahs. Viljoen was contracted to GWK Griquas, a smaller union from Kimberley (the Diamond City). The fact that Griquas is one of the unions that falls under the Cheetahs-franchise, makes it a bit complicated, but the fact is that the Cheetahs did not lose a player, Griquas did. Riaan Viljoen's contract ended and he decided not to renew his contract and move to Durban. You can classify this is poaching the Cheetahs of their full-back, but first of all, Riaan Viljoen is not contracted to the Cheetahs and second, his contract expires and he decided it was time to step up the career-ladder and move to a union that plays for the silverware

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

@ psychic duck:

Keegan Daniel is our captain now, even with Terblanche on the field.

About the poaching: Sarel Pretorius was also contracted to GWK Griquas, same story as Riaan Viljoen (see above). His contract ended as well and the Cheetahs franchise did no effort to re-sign either one of them. They did not try to move them to Bloemfontein to play for the Cheetahs union (which is also a pool of the franchise).

 

[psychic duck]

@ psychic duck:

Keegan Daniel is our captain now, even with Terblanche on the field.

About the poaching: Sarel Pretorius was also contracted to GWK Griquas, same story as Riaan Viljoen (see above). His contract ended as well and the Cheetahs franchise did no effort to re-sign either one of them. They did not try to move them to Bloemfontein to play for the Cheetahs union (which is also a pool of the franchise).

Keegan Daniel as captain is a good decision, I really rate him (better than Alberts/Deysel/Flo Louw in my opinion), and he's available all year round for the Sharks

why an earth was no effort made to resign Viljoen and Pretorius?

 

[Draggs]

I have never rated Odwa. Mvovo, Pietersen and possibly Richards in the future will be ahead of him. Ludik and Viljoen can also cover wing.
Lambie is a better standoff than Michalak and should be used as such during the S15.

Daniel is a very good backrower and has been the in-form South African openside for the past season.

 

[dan-the-man]

Man, you are a joke...

Anton Bresler as a prop? Sykes and Mostert who moved to Europe at lock?

No no sorry I got confused about Bresler!!!!!

 

[Seaton]

Well, well, well...

This certainly does throw a spanner in the works.

Just a wee bit dissappointed I won't get to see him live though

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Keegan Daniel as captain is a good decision, I really rate him (better than Alberts/Deysel/Flo Louw in my opinion), and he's available all year round for the Sharks

why an earth was no effort made to resign Viljoen and Pretorius?

Well, Griquas tried, but there was no intention from Sarel and Riaan to re-sign with the Kimberley union. Cheetahs did not try to sign them from Griquas to keep them within the Super Rugby franchise

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

The official site mentions the signing now as well:

http://www.sharksrugby.co.za/news/general/110728/Sharks_Have_a_New_Signing

28 July 2011 (15:32) - The Sharks are happy to announce that they have signed Griquas fullback Riaan Viljoen for the 2012 season.
Since 2008, he has represented Griquas in the Absa Currie Cup, the Cheetahs (Vodacom Super Rugby) and played two tour matches for the Springboks on their end of year tour to France, Italy, Ireland & England in 2009. His move to The Sharks means that his career has come a full circle, returning to where his career all started when he played for The Sharks Under 19s and Under 20s in 2002 and 2003. He spent the ensuing years - 2005 to 2007 â€" playing for the Valke before making the move to Kimberley in 2008 to start his career which saw his star rise.

The following year he made his Super Rugby debut and also represented the Royal XV against the touring British and Irish Lions before heading for the northern Hemisphere for the Springbok tour.

A prolific scorer, he has accumulated 33 tries, 78 conversions and 14 drop-goals for a total points’ haul of 552. A strong and quick runner, he brings a monster boot to his array of skills, often converting from 50m or more.

Stats

Date of Birth: 1 April 1983
Place of Birth: Carletonville
Height: 1.85m
Weight: 92Kg
Position: Fullback

I am still happy we managed to sign a former Sharks-academy player. Only a few people might remember, but Riaan Viljoen did represent the Sharks -19 in 2002 and -20 in 2003.

 

[LPsoldier ZA]

the Stormers want Brüssow now as well, I think I heard somewhere that somebody is interested in the Ebersohns...

Off topic: The Ebersohn twins both resigned at the Cheetahs for another 2 years.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Robert announced it on his Twitter a couple of weeks ago. Good for the Cheetahs. With Barry Geel signing for them, their midfield seems to be outstanding. Andries Strauss, R. Ebersohn, Uys and Geel... 4 potential Springboks