Powerhouse prop Willem Petrus Nel joins Edinburgh on a three-year deal
Willem Petrus WP Nel has not played at Test level and could be available for Scotland after three years in the country. Picture: Getty
EDINBURGH may have taken longer to get off the starting grid in the race for new signings, but they are now in second gear, with the deal for a South African prop in the formidable shape of Willem Petrus ‘WP’ Nel finally being signed and sealed.
The need for new strength in the front row has been clear in the Edinburgh squad for the past few years and while the purse strings were pulled tight by former SRU Chief Executive Gordon McKie, former capital coach Rob Moffat found it impossible to bring in the quality necessary to complement the development of the few young Scots who were emerging as potential Test tightheads.
It has been a worrying position for both professional teams and the Scotland national management, and when Michael Bradley took over as Edinburgh coach his assistant, Tom Smith, himself a former Test front row, quickly alerted him to the need for new resources. Bradley was aided by Mark Dodson replacing McKie and offering new financial support from the SRU.
That turned out to be the easy part; locating the kind of prop that he was confident would make a difference to Edinburgh has proved more difficult. Players had been trialled since the pre-season camp before Argentina cap Ulises Gamboa was finally signed last week from Aironi until the end of the season, and handed a debut off the bench against the Ospreys on Friday.
Yesterday, however, they revealed a more permanent recruit in Nel from Super 15 side Free State Cheetahs on a three-year contract from this summer. He does not have any links to Scotland but, having never been involved with South Africa at Test level, would be available after three years in the country. So if he was to become as successful as Tim Visser, who qualifies for Scotland in June, he could look towards an international career beginning at the 2015 World Cup.
Edinburgh described the 25-year-old as “an immensely powerful scrummager and dynamic ball-carrier”, and he is primarily viewed as back-up to and competition for Scotland tighthead Geoff Cross.
Bradley said: “We’re delighted to have signed WP Nel for the next three seasons; a player of the calibre, experience and expertise that we seek to attract to the club and to serve our ambitions to put Edinburgh Rugby among the top clubs in Europe.
“He has a lot of experience for a 25-year-old prop and will bring a huge amount to our performance on the pitch and to the development of the talented young props we have at the club.”
Nel has played Super Rugby for the past three seasons, making 32 appearances since his debut against the Waratahs at the tail end of 2009, and was a key part of the Cheetahs’ journey to the Currie Cup Final that year, memorable for his battle with the Sharks’ Springbok prop Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira in the semi-finals. It also brought a game against the British & Irish Lions that summer, which the Lions scraped through 26-24, and Nel was the only non-capped player in the Barbarians’ win over the All Blacks at Twickenham.
The 5ft 10in and near 19-stone tighthead comes from Loeriesfontein in the Northern Cape and came through the Western Province youth system before moving to the Cheetahs. He has failed to break through into the international game, despite starting all of the Cheetahs’ 29 matches in the past two seasons and, soon-to-turn 26, has decided it is time to pursue his career north of the Equator.
He explained: “My experience at the Cheetahs has been fantastic and I can’t thank coach Naka Drotske enough for all that he has done for me, but when I got the chance to go to Edinburgh Rugby it was an opportunity to gain new experience and develop my game even further.
“Edinburgh Rugby play a fantastic brand of rugby and I’m really looking forward to lining up alongside some of their world-class players and living in a great city like Edinburgh.
“To be involved in that set-up and experience northern hemisphere rugby and conditions can only improve my game in two great competitions – the Rabodirect PRO12 and the Heineken Cup – and I’m certainly looking forward to the challenge.”
Edinburgh Rugby Chief Executive Craig Docherty added: “The signing of WP Nel is a clear statement of intent from Edinburgh Rugby as we look to retain and recruit the right players that will help us build on the many strides made this season and to ensure that we continue this momentum into future years.
“Nel is a world-class performer as he has shown in one of the toughest club [provincial] rugby environments, the southern hemisphere’s Super 15, and for the Barbarians in that famous win over the All Blacks.
“I’m sure he’ll be a big hit with supporters and will serve as an excellent addition to the club as we ramp up our search for silverware.”
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Comments
There are 19 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
tomtom678
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 04:28 PM~thanks #18
daffy_b
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 02:48 PM#16 - Don't think you are quite correct. My rugby club has "employed" a DO for 5-6 seasons now on a salary of circa £27k with funding being 50% from the club and 50% from the SRU.
Sevendirtywords
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 01:42 PMI meant @ #12
Sevendirtywords
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 01:41 PM#11 - I don't think so. You just made those numbers up! Club development offfcers are paid for by Clubs - sometimes with LA funding, but not from the SRU - and don't get anything like £20kyear. Their responsibilities are to the Clubs. The SRU employs about 50 people in total in relation to "Performance Rugby" but that includes Academy Players and Coaches and Age-Grade coaches. The average salary won't be anywhere near £40k.
George_Haley
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 12:41 PMI am with #5 on the topic of qualification. Parental or Grand-parental associations are one thing but giving a Cap to someone on a residential basis of a couple of years is frankly a sham! If it is 3 years today soon it will reduce until an International Cap is devalued as regards its integrity, not to say it isn’t as the matter stands. All because some individuals can’t accept that they don’t support the best team! Frankly if I wanted to support a League of Nations side I wouldn’t be concerned about the state of Scottish Rugby. I would advocate that henceforth all Rugby competitions be played between Clubs. That is the logical conclusion as to what would happen because the more you push at the door the wider it opens and in the end the qualification would end up ‘a la’ Jack Charlton’s Irish Soccer side that qualified if they had had more than two pints of Guinness! More to the point, what is the point? So the Scottish side is full of journeyman players from here, there and everywhere and they get tanked because another country can afford better players. You could well end up with the top team in the World being Saudi Arabia! Well you know the point I am making; if our own are not good enough, what does that say about us?
Not by Strength, by Guile
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 09:40 PMA good signing. A few select quality imports will bring on the competition for places and the standard of the up and coming lads. As an Edinburgh supporter I see this as a positive move. I received my season ticket holders offer for the HC 14 final through the post, I'll be going along and hope to do so again next year.
Hesh
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:15 PMThe nay sayers here are clearly not Edinburgh fans, The front and second rows have, for a while been a real issue. This is a great signing, a quality player who is available to play during autumn and 6N calendar. Rugby is more of a squad game today players need to come in and out. One of the reasons Edinburgh and Glasgow haven't been successful is due to the depth of squad moves like this are only a good thing. As an aside quite a few jarpies are having one about this as they see him as a potential Bok, it'll be interesting to see if they tempt him with a cap anytime soon
tomtom678
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 04:42 PM#11 there must be at least 20 full time development staff on £40000 average, 70 club development on say £20 000 average., that is £2.2 million without expenses and management costs.
Sevendirtywords
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 04:06 PM#10 - millions a year on development staff? I don't think so! .........#7 - residency qualification is a sham but it's also the same for everyone. Won't be complaining when Visser's playing for us next season! .............. Furthermore, it appears he may actually be Scots-qualified through a grandfather. Result! .......... Even better, SA fans are not happy as they rate the guy good enough for a Bokke cap.
tomtom678
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 03:11 PMWhy are we spending millions per year on development staff? they seem to have failed to produce quality internationals apart from the odd one or two.
abselkirk
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 03:07 PMI agree with Vennachar. We are in need of some good scrummagers when Cross and Jacobson are unavailable and from all accounts he can certainly do the job. What Edinburgh need is good secure set piece ball and he will contribute to that in the scrum. We also need a good back up lineout jumper. I would love Jim Hamilton to come back or even Scot Murrtay who is going well in Castres
Venachar
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:33 PM#4 Edinburgh have given the number two props enough chances to perform. Sadly Traynor and Gilding have not come up to the mark. Niven has done relatively well but has been outdone by experience and perhaps fitness a few times but he is a good prospect. Nel looks a decent prospect for a position that most Edinburgh fans recognise as being weak. A large second row would also help and perhaps an out and out no6. I've ordered my Heineken Cup quarter finals tickets for April. This signing by Michael Bradley hopefully will increase the chances for next seasons competitions. Well done to the SRU and ER. Now what about those other positions?
all politicians are the s*me
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:07 PM5 I would follow the rules as laid down as advantageously as possible to maximise the success of the national team personally.
all politicians are the s*me
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:06 PM4 We need the pro teams to win games, you cannot do this by relying solely on youth i am afraid. look at the feel good factor and increasing attendances at edinburgh this season, this brings in money which can be used to develop players. There are plenty of good young Scottish players coming through the pro 12 team ranks, Denton, Gray, Jones, Harley, Hogg etc hardly quick fix solution but there must be a balance.
salad cream or mayo?
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:59 PMResidency qualification is a sham and should be abolished. I would only have it for boys arriving in Scotland under the age of 12 and spending at least six years here.
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