SEDGLEY Park have made their first two signings for next season, front rowers Petrus du Plessis and Jan Lourens.

Both South Africans, du Plessis joins the Tigers from fellow National One club and Lancashire rivals Orrell, while Lourens makes the move from National Three North side, Liverpool St.Helens (LSH).

Tight-head du Plessis was rated highly by the Edge Hall Road club after they snapped him up from LSH, and is reckoned technically to be an outstanding prospect

Lourens, who is a hooker, although he has mostly played prop for LSH, scored two tries in his 20 appearances for the Merseyside outfit.

Both players have signed one-year deals.

Back rows, utility backs and stand-offs are now top of the list, with first choice fly-half and number one kicker Ryno Ueckermann, who returned home to South Africa, unlikely to return.

"He's been home two weeks now and I've heard nothing, so it's not looking good," said player-coach Tim Fourie.

"The two new guys both want to prove they can play at a higher level and it's their attitude as much as their skill that has impressed me," said Fourie.

"Du Plessis played in a team that finished second in National One last season, so he must be able to play a bit. There were other clubs after him but he wants to stay in the North West.

"I've spoken to a lot of people about Lourens, who is a hooker, although LSH used him as a prop. As a hooker they reckon he is as good if not better than what we already have.

'So I'm hoping the two of them will bring the best out of each other and generally shake things up and create competition for places.

"We are a little club that wants to do big things, and any player coming in has to to be prepared to settle for a little money.

"They'll also have to put up with me, a guy that has not coached at a high level yet, but in return we can offer them a good time and hopefully success."

And Park could be without the playing services of Fourie, who was red-carded in the Lancashire game against Cheshire.

"One of their wing forwards started punching me on the ground," Fourie explained.

"He hit me in the face three times, my nose and mouth were bleeding and I had to defend myself, so at that point I lost my temper and punched him back.

"But of course the referee said he only saw me do the punching, he didn't see the other guy start it. He never even got a yellow card. When we were pulled apart two of his team-mates had to hold him back because he wanted to carry on.

"I shouldn't have hit him , but I'm no one's punch bag.

"I've got a hearing on June 3 and if they ban me it's likely to be for 30 days, and I can't afford to miss four games, especially when they would be against Plymouth, Rotherham, Bristol and Ottley."