Kings snap up French hooker

The Southern Kings have signed Toulouse hooker Virgil Lacombe as their fourth international player for Super Rugby next year.

The Eastern Cape outfit are busy preparing for their debut Super Rugby season next year, and the 28-year-old Lacombe will join Pumas Nicolas Vergallo and Tomas Leonardi along with Kiwi fullback Hadleigh Parkes as the last of the foreign contingent in Port Elizabeth.

Kings Director of rugby Alan Solomons told this website that the former France Under-19 and U21 player will be a valuable addition to the pack given his experience with the French giants.

"Hooker is a key position and Virgil has played 130 games for Toulouse so he will have a lot to offer," he said.

The Kings already have Springbok hooker Bandise Maku on their books and Solomons expects both players to push each other to greater heights next year.

"Competition for places is vital if we want to create strength in depth so I really think that Virgil will add value," he said.

By Michael de Vries