JOHANNESBURG - The Lions’ big lockdown buying-spree has continued with the news that exciting utility back EW Viljoen has signed to play for the Joburg team from Leicester Tigers in England.
The 25-year-old, who went to Grey College in Bloemfontein and represented SA Schools and the SA U20 team, played for Western Province and the Stormers between 2014 and last year. His short stint in England saw him turn out for the Tigers on just four occasions.
Viljoen will add depth to the Lions backs as he is comfortable in the centres and on the wings. He is also able to play fullback, where he shone as a schoolboy.
The Lions have stocked up in the last few weeks and months and just recently announced the return to Joburg from Gloucester of tighthead prop Ruan Dreyer. Two other former Lions players, loose-forwards Jaco Kriel and Willem Alberts, also rejoined their former team at the start of the year, while veteran prop Jannie du Plessis now also calls himself a Lions player.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/ewviljoen059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ewviljoen059! #LionsPride pic.twitter.com/3DvRoGEV3e
— Emirates Lions (@LionsRugbyCo)
Former Pro14 wing from the Cheetahs, Rabz Maxwane, has also joined the Lions in recent weeks, while on Monday it was announced that former Bulls captain, centre Burger Odendaal, had swapped Pretoria for Joburg.