Rugby news from the Home of the Kings:
Southern Kings players head overseas for off season:
Southern Kings fullback, Jurgen Visser, and flyhalf, Louis Fouche, have both signed contracts in Japan for the Vodacom Super Rugby off season.
Southern Kings Chief Operating Officer, Charl Crous confirmed that Visser has signed a deal with the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, based in Osaka, while Fouche had signed a deal with the Kubota Spears, based in Funabashi, Chiba, for the 2016/17 season.
“We can confirm that both Jurgen and Louis have signed contracts in Japan for the Super Rugby off season,” Crous said.
Visser said he was grateful for having had the opportunity to play for the Southern Kings in their return to Vodacom Super Rugby.
“It has been a great opportunity for me to be a part of the Southern Kings structures and to play alongside a fantastic group of players,” he said.
Visser said the focus among all the players remained on the Super Rugby competition, with three games still to be played before the end of the season.
The Southern Kings will take on the Pulse Energy Highlanders on Saturday, the 2nd of July at 19:20, in their final home match of the season, before playing the Emirates Lions at Emirates Airine Park in Johannesburg on the 8th of July at 19:00. Their final game of the season will be against the DHL Stormers at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on the 16th of July at 17:05.
Confirmed player movements to date:
- Steven Sykes – Oyonnax (France) 2 year deal
- Shane Gates – NTT Communications Shining Arcs (Japan) 2 year deal
- Jacobie Adriaanse – Vodacom Blue Bulls (South Africa) – till October 2018
- Aidon Davis – Toulon (France) 2016/2017 Season
- Philip du Preez – Mont-de-Marsan
- Schalk Oelofse – Mont-de-Marsan
Players who have signed for Super Rugby off season
- Thembelani Bholi – Toyota FS Cheetahs (South Africa) 2016/17 Season
- Louis Fouche – Kubota Spears (Japan) 2016/17 Season
- James Hall – Oyonnax (France) 2016/17 Season
- Jurgen Visser – NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, (Japan) 2016/17 Season
Shane Gates and Aidon Davis to move on after Super Rugby:
Southern Kings vice captain, Shane Gates and eighth man, Aidon Davis, have secured international contracts following their outstanding performance during the 2016 Vodacom Super Rugby Season.
Southern Kings Chief Operating Officer, Charl Crous confirmed that Gates had signed a two year deal with Japanese side, NTT Communications Shining Arcs, while Davis had signed a deal with french side Toulon for the 2016/17 season.
“We can confirm that both Shane and Aidon will be moving on at the end of the 2016 Super Rugby season,” he said.
Crous said the Southern Kings wished both players, who had both started their professional rugby careers in the Eastern Cape, well as they embarked on a new chapter in their rugby careers.
“Both Shane and Aidon are a testament to the talent that the Eastern Cape has to offer and we wish them everything of the best as they embark on the next chapter of their rugby careers,” he said.
Crous said rumours on social media that CJ Velleman was moving to France were completely without merit.
“CJ has signed a contract with us until the end of the 2017 season and there is no merit in the rumour that he has signed elsewhere,” he said.
Crous also confirmed that Philip du Preez would be moving to France at the end of the Vodacom Super Rugby season to play for Pro D2 side Mont-de-Marsan.
Crous said while it had also been announced that Schalk Oelofse would also be moving to Mont-de-Marsan, he could not confirm this, as Oelofse was on loan from the SWD Eagles, and as such the contractual negotiations would take place with his home union.
Kings scrumhalf James Hall to play for Oyonnax during Super Rugby off season:
he Southern Kings can confirm that scrumhalf James Hall will be moving to France to play for Oyonnax at the end of the 2016 Super Rugby season, but would be returning ahead of the 2017 season.
Southern Kings Chief Operating Officer, Charl Crous confirmed that Hall will be moving to Oyonnax along with captain Steven Sykes, but reiterated that Hall would be returning to the Southern Kings next year.
“We have not released him from his contract. James was only contracted for Super Rugby and he has been given the opportunity to gain some exposure abroad during what will be our Currie Cup season,” he said.
Crous said Hall would return back to South Africa next year, ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby campaign.
Wandile Mjekevu joins the Southern Kings on loan:
Former junior springbok and versatile backline player Wandile Mjekevu has joined the Southern Kings on loan for the rest of the Vodacom Super Rugby season.
Southern Kings Chief Operating Officer, Charl Crous said Mjekevu, who had been based at the Cell C Sharks, had been released this week to assist the Southern Kings, who have been battling with a number of injuries to their backline.
Most recently the Kings have lost Luzuku Vulindlu to a hamstring tear and Elgar Watts to a tendon strain in his foot, but are also currently missing the services of Malcolm Jaer, who had a phenomenal first half of the season, as well as Siyanda Grey, Charles Radebe and Stefan Watermeyer.
“We have negotiated with the Sharks to loan Mjekevu to the Southern Kings for the remainder of the season and have followed all the necessary requirements to record the changes with SANZAAR,” said Crous.
Mjekevu, 25, represented South Africa in the IRB World Junior Championships in both 2010 and 2011. He started his career with the Johannesburg-based Golden Lions. He represented them at Under-16 level in 2007 and at the 2008 Craven Week tournament.
After playing for the Golden Lions U19 side in 2008 and 2009, he made his first class debut for the Lions in their 2010 Super 14 match against the Stormers, and made a total of ten appearances during the tournament. The following season, he made four appearances for the Golden Lions in the 2011 Vodacom Cup and eleven appearances for the Golden Lions in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship.
In 2012, Mjekevu returned to his hometown of Durban to join the Sharks. He made six appearances for them during the 2012 Vodacom Cup and played 13 matches for the Sharks XV during the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship.
In 2013, Mjekevu signed a deal to join French Top 14 side Perpignan, making 15 appearances for them in the 2013–14 Top 14 season. He also scored two tries in three appearances for them in the 2013–14 Heineken Cup. The following season he made 18 appearances in the 2014–15 Rugby Pro D2 helping Perpignan finish in third place on the log.
Mjekevu returned to the Sharks prior to the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, signing a two-year deal with the team. He has already joined the Southern Kings training sessions, effective from today, and will be available for selection for the upcoming game on Friday against the Jaguares.
