EP sign two new players – and bid farewell to Van der Linde
THE EP Kings have signed a further two players to bolster their squad for the forthcoming Currie Cup campaign – centre JP du Plessis and prop Basil Short.
This follows last week’s announcement of a loan agreement with the Blue Bulls for Jacques Engelbrecht for the Currie Cup season, as well as the signing of young prop Maks van Dyk for a year.
Du Plessis and Short, who took part in a training session yesterday, will link up with the Kings pending confirmation of medical clearance.
The 24-year-old Du Plessis, who attended Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch, played for the WP Craven Week and SA Schools teams in 2010 before heading for Sydney where he linked up with rugby league side the Sydney Roosters. He later returned to rugby union, signing with Melbourne Rebels and making his debut in Super Rugby against the Hurricanes.
He then played for the Stormers, Montpellier in France and the Cheetahs.
When playing in France, Montpellier coach Fabian Galthie lined Du Plessis up to qualify for the French national team before a knee injury scuppered those plans.
Du Plessis returned to South Africa to play for the Cheetahs and will be keen to excel at his preferred position of outside centre for the Kings.
Short, also 24, attended Standerton High School and joins the Kings from the Blue Bulls after making his first-class debut in the Vodacom Cup in 2012.
He represented the Bulls U21 side that won the provincial championship in 2011 and 2012, and also claimed a winner’s medal with Tuks in the Varsity Cup tournament from 2012 to 2014.
Meanwhile, the Kings also said yesterday that experienced prop CJ van der Linde would leave at the end of the month to take up a contract with Montpellier.
The 34-year-old played 75 tests for South Africa from 2002-2012 and looks set to wind up his career with a spell in French club rugby.
Van der Linde joined the EP Kings last year after representing the Cheetahs, the Lions and the Stormers in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup. He also spent several seasons over- seas with Irish club Leinster and London Irish.
Acknowledging that Van der Linde’s experience had helped the team, EP Kings boss Charl Crous said they wished him well for the future.
“He brought a lot of experience . . . and helped to mentor our younger forwards,” he said. “A clause in his contract allows him to explore foreign offers and we wish him all the best.”