Such wonderful news. Willem Alberts is coming home

Former Springbok loose forward Willem Alberts needs to pass a fitness test before being offered a contract with the Lions.

SupaRugby, a local rugby page with inside knowledge of the Lions camp, posted on Monday that Alberts was training with the Johannesburg franchise and will be offered a contract for this year's Super Rugby competition if he passes the test.

In November last year, the Lions confirmed that they were in talks with Alberts about a possible deal.

The 35-year-old played 43 Tests for the Springboks between 2010 and 2016.

He was on the Lions' books between 2005 and 2009, before moving to the Sharks where be played until 2015 before moving to French club Stade Francais.

He played 79 matches for the Parisian outfit but only featured nine times last year.

Alberts could be the ninth addition to the Lions' Super Rugby squad for 2020.

Other new signings include prop Jannie du Plessis (Montpellier), loose forward Francke Horn (Western Province), centre Dan Kriel (Stormers), utility back Duncan Matthews (Bulls), flank Roelof Smit (Bulls), flyhalf/fullback Tiaan Swanepoel (West Harbour, Australia), wing Jamba Ulengo (Bulls) and scrumhalf Andre Warner (Bulls).

The Lions open their 2020 Super Rugby campaign against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on February 1.

What are they going to use him as?   He never was a loosie - had the pace of a slow prop - so at 35 he will even be slower than he used to be.

What the hell would the Lions want with this one?  He would be a total waste of money even if paid a R100 000 a year to car ry water bottles,       

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Face facts oaks we have been defeated by the weak Rand as I kept warning the oaks was on the cards. 

Mike, Albert's has been converted to tight head as he now weighs in at 140 kg. 

What great news!

His experience will be immense.

Good play by the Lions.

@beeno, our players are still being paid a lot of money. ALberts is coming to provide knowledge, advice and guidance to some youngsters. he isnt coming as an overseas pro.

Flash according to what chipped ou posted, if Albert's passes a fitness test he gets the lions contract. 

Looks like they want him to play. 

Be assured our player base is being severely looted by overseas countries. 

Flash the simple fact is they earn far more overseas than they do here. Our very weak Rand has seen to that. 

Alberts ....Vermeulen .....Flouw. The perfect loosie combination to take on the British and European (Irish) Lions in 2021.

I agree mozart.

I also think Frans Steyn MUST start at 12 if we are to beat the BIL.

The experience of Jannie du Plessis will also be invaluable on the field.

It will be a wonderfully rounded team.

I'm waiting for the third coming of the great Victor Matfield.....why split the Alberts/Matfield company?

I was just referring to the fact that fitness tests did not count in the past.   Meyer selected hun for the 2015 WC squad without him playing any rugby for 14 months and he was unplayable in the WC. 

He rarely played for Stade Francais recently and like Meyer and  Morne he was one of their rejects.   Bet he would develop a fat tear before he ever played for the Lions.  LMAO,