A tighthead prop capped by South Africa, Pat Cilliers arrived in Leicester during the summer of 2016 after two years in Montferrand in France.

Born in Pietermaritzburg, Cilliers played Currie Cup rugby with the Sharks, Golden Lions and Western Province as well as in Super Rugby with the Sharks, Lions and Stormers before moving to France in 2014.

A two-time Currie Cup winner, he played for the Emerging Springboks in a draw against the British & Irish Lions in 2009 and won his first Test cap against Argentina in 2012.

Cilliers joined Montpellier in 2014, working with former South Africa coach Jake White, before signing for Tigers.