NOLA Gold sign Vincent Jobo from Eastern Province

South African loose forward Vincent Jobo has signed with the New Orleans Gold for the 2018 Major League Rugby season. A powerful athlete equally capable at either flanker or No 8, the 26-year-old was a regular starter for Eastern Province during the Currie Cup. He moved to the Port Elizabeth side from the Valke in 2016, having previously represented Free State and Western Province.

Originally from Krugersdorp, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, Jobo played for the Golden Lions at age grade level before making a switch to Cape Town. Off the field he has a keen interest in politics. In a 2015 interview with MyPlayers he expressed a strong desire to spend time in the USA.

“A goal of mine is to go over to America and experience the political systems over there. If I can learn something through that experience, I want to bring that knowledge back to South Africa and make a difference in my country.”

At New Orleans he will be part of an increasingly impressive forward pack that already has Canadian front rowers Hubert Buydens and Eric Howard on the books, along with loose forwards Sebastián Kalm and Matt Hughston. Three heavyweight second rows have also been added recently in Alex Czajkowski, Myles McQuone, and USA u19 standout Will Waguespack.