Speedy Lions wing Volmink signs for Kings
LIONS try machine Anthony Volmink has been signed by the Southern Kings to add extra pace and bite to their backline in the PRO14.
Sources close to the Kings camp said the wing was set to arrive in Port Elizabeth shortly, after agreeing to terms to play for the Eastern Cape franchise.
Volmink broke the South African tries-per-game record when he scored nine tries in the Golden Lions’ 161-3 victory over the hapless Limpopo Blue Bulls in the 2013 Vodacom Cup. Volmink completed his hat-trick in just 29 minutes, while his record-breaking ninth try came three minutes before full time.
He made his Super Rugby debut in 2012 for the Lions against the Sharks in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, the Southern Kings will be playing Sunday rugby for the first time in Port Elizabeth, when they host Scarlets on November 26.
Earlier this year, the Kings played in South Africa’s first Sunday Super Rugby match, when they travelled to play the Lions in Johannesburg.
At this stage, however, it is not known whether the Sunday PRO14 showdown will be played at Kwazakhele’s Wolfson Stadium or the bigger Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Kings officials said a decision on which venue would be used to host Scarlets had not been made yet. Although Kings captain Schalk Ferreira and coach Deon Davids both said they enjoyed playing in Kwazakhele, the venue delivered the smallest home crowd of the season.
There were only 3 011 fans inside the NMB Stadium for the Kings’ opening game against Irish team Leinster last month, and 4 062 supporters turned up for their next fixture, against Italian outfit Zebre at the same venue.
Despite a lively atmosphere at the Wolfson Stadium for the Ulster clash, the attendance was only 2 836.
The question for Kings officials now is whether it is worth playing another game at Wolfson to build their support base in Kwazakhele.
It is an important decision because the Kings need to show PRO14 officials that the competition has a healthy future in Port Elizabeth.