Sharks fullback Riaan Viljoen will leave Durban on conclusion of this years’s Super Rugby competition to play for the Red Hurricanes team in Japan.
According to a tweet from Viljoen agent, Anthony Johnson of World Artists, the versatile back has agreed a contract with the Japanese side that will see him exit the Sharks next month, less than two years after arriving from Griquas.
The loss of Viljoen, in addition to Gouws Prinsloo, makes it all the more important for the Sharks to retain the services of Louis Ludik for the Currie Cup and beyond.
We’ll bring you more on the Viljoen deal on Monday, as we get further details.
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SO Willie Le Roux to the Sharks ?
Jessie Kriel!!
ai nooit man! Is it just for CC like kanko?
And can we buy Willie please? 😉
If every Sharks supporter donates 1R any chance we can afford him?
@R Hayward (Comment 3) : no. This is for good, I think.
Will confirm on Monday once I’ve spoke to him
@Zibbie (Comment 1) : I really hope willie never comes to the Sharks, they will kill his game for sure.
@Uli (Comment 6) : I agree .
@Talent (Comment 7) : I still say Frans Steyn should move to OVS, it will do his game the world of good.
@Uli (Comment 8) : @Talent (Comment 7) : I still say both of you should STFU 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Why so mad rob? 😀
Sorry to see him go, but he did not set the field om fire in the Sharks team.
With Viljoen moving why the hell is coaches picking Ludik at 13?!?!?!?! Why not pick Viljoen or Odwa at 13 and leave Ludik at 15 where he will be the Sharks only experianced option.
With van Tonder and Robinson to help cover 15 with Ludik, Viljoens move might be a good thing for the Sharks as it will give the youngsters a chance to show what they have.
Guaranteed Salmo will put more of his vitriolic spin on this one and argue that it’s Smit’s fault that he’s leaving. 🙄
@Uli (Comment 6) : @Uli (Comment 10) : Believe me, no team can do more damage to Willie than HM and his group of yes men.
Control freaks can never leave a good thing alone, they’ll let it go on and be itself for a short while, but inevitably they’ll give in to their need to control and suck the life out of anything resembling any form of creativity.
P.S. – Funny how a guy like Michalak managed to excel with the Sharks. 😉
Good luck 2 him, a player with a lot of talent who was unfortunately inconsistent. Thanx 4 your time
That is not great news,losing two fullbacks in short time,i never even thought of Riaan moving to Japan!Sharks can’t lose Ludik aswell,been,imo,the form fullback for the last 2 year!Good luck Riaan,had some game changing moments for the Sharks
@FireTheLooser (Comment 14) : Where do you get the whole control freaks from? TBH, the same control freaks who have actually won the super cup 3 times? where as no other SA team has? give credit where its due mate.
Uli sorry to burst your (and some other Bulls fans) bubble the first SA team to win Super rugby was the Lions.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 14) : Ha ha, still smarting I see. Sleep tight sweet cheeks.
Cheslin Kolbe please!!!
@Uli (Comment 17) : It was with reference to Willie le Roux’s creative style of play.
Under HM, Morné went from being an exciting attacking fullback to what we see today. No doubt the control freak mentality worked for a team unable to think for themselves. But 3 SR cups still does not make Bulls rugby entertaining to watch.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 19) : ” sweet cheeks “? Do you have a little man crush on me.
Salmonoid and Fire sitting in a tree k i s s i n g………. Congrats boys.
@Uli (Comment 17) : So Meyer has won Super Rugby 3 times? Wasn’t his assistant more successful ? whats his name? 🙄
I suppose if we win the 2019 world cup it will all be due to Meyers structures 😆 Give me a break.
We are going nowhere fast with Steyn at 10.
I used to defend the Springboks .
Bring Willie le Roux to the Sharks. Please John…….
@Uli (Comment 10) : good news loosing Viljoen, borderline player doesn’t deserve a contract. A Good player to look at is Tim Swiel, ulrich beyers, Jesse Kriel. But Kriel as a last resort, bulls have huge plans for him. Going to be at huge [email protected]robdylan (Comment 5) : Swiel can really with the right management be one a great sharks…Rob SMS your Boys High mate to buy this kid, beyers is also good to cover 13 and 15…..come on Rob ‘alles vir die Span’. 😉
Boerseun I think it’s time to stop buying new players and using our own youngsters like van Tonder.
@JD (Comment 27) : can’t disagree more we lost kriel de kock Prinsloo Viljoen and news Ludik we need utility backs who has the talents to step up. We have Ndungani van Tonder Robinson left. We need Beyers and Swiel. Both under performing both captains both cheap cheap, and with the right backing are all very good bets to be the next generation stars.
With Viljoen going I think Ludik might now stay.
@JD (Comment 18) : Actually the super 10 is not considered as super rugby, even though it was called super 10, SANZAR was not in control of it but Topsport from what I remember, therefore each south african team who played in a final got a “free” pass to host the final.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 21) : Is entertaining more important than a cabinet full of cups? I beg to differ., but I would rather watch my team win each week, even if its ugly than have a up and down season because you are trying to entertain the crowd, that doesn’t even pitch anyways when you host a CC final…
big lose in my view
Does this mean we`ll have to invest in a centre now?
@Original Pierre (Comment 33) : We have enough centers, just need them to get over their injuries.
I didn’t manage to speak to Tjop yesterday, I’m afraid