Johannesburg - The Toyota Cheetahs will lose another seasoned player at the end of this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby season after prop WP Nel signed a three year contract to join Edinburgh until 2015.

Nel will play his season with the Cheetahs in the Southern Hemisphere tournament before heading to the Scottish capital to join the Heineken Cup quarter-finalists, but according to a press release put out by Edinburgh, it seems he will not be available for the Cheetahs after the enforced break due to the English test series.

“Subject to visa, the 25-year-old front-row will join the club this summer after a final season in Vodacom Super Rugby, with the season running from February to July,” the press statement reads, indicating Nel would have to join up with the club in August.

But the loss of another front ranker is a blow to the  Cheetahs, as Nel became a stalwart in the scrum and has 32 Super Rugby caps to his name.

Edinburgh Rugby head coach Michael 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.”

At Edinburgh Nel will join up with British and Irish Lion Ross Ford, who he played against in the Cheetahs loss to the touring side in 2009.