The Southern Kings have been given a player boost by the news that both Western Province Currie Cup hero Demetri Catrakilis and Lions and Bok hooker Bandise Maku will be joining them for the 2013 edition of Vodacom Super Rugby.
SuperSport
Catrakilis turned down an offer from Western Province coach Allister Coetzee after an emotional victory in the Absa Currie Cup and has kept his word to join the Kings, alongside Sharks lock Steven Sykes and Cheetahs midfielder Andries Strauss.
Maku has finally signed papers with the Kings, even though he previously denied he would be joining Super Rugby’s newest team.
The Kings announced three players a month ago that had signed with them – including Bok hooker Maku – but it was quickly denied on social media by the player, prompting questions whether or not the Kings had jumped the gun on the announcement.
But strangely on Monday afternoon Maku announced his move on Twitter, saying “Only nw cn w officially say tht I’m going 2 th Kings.Thnk u all 4 ur devoted support thru out ths season.Looking 4wrd 2 a fruitful yr ahead. (sic)”
(Only now can officially say that I’m going to the Kings. Thank you all for your devoted support throughout this season. Looking forward to a fruitful year ahead)
This means the Kings now will have four Super Rugby quality players at their disposal.
The Kings also completed the signing of former Pumas scrumhalf Shaun Venter this week.
Catrakilis has made up his mind, and despite a last-minute plea from Coetzee, decided he wanted to move to the Kings.
“I’m excited, I made the decision I wanted to go to the Kings a while ago and I’ve now stuck to it. It’s a new challenge and I’m excited to prove myself in Super Rugby” Catrakilis told EWNSport.
The player added that seeing the effect the Currie Cup victory had on Cape Town was “surreal” but that it didn’t change his mind on his decision.
Good luck to both of them. Pity that they chose to move to Kings. They will have mental scars for life after the thrashings the Kings will be receiving
The first SA team to lose against the Kings will be “in sak en as” for life. Watch this team, they are going to surprise a team or 2 , just watch it.
Its all about playing like a TEAM, not the Bullsheet the men in Blue dishes up.
There is quite a few good players down in PE by now. The trick is to let them play as a unit. Surely they will start a game in contention,all they need for a win is another of the many games we had this year with zero scoring in the second half.
Let’s see… the Southern Kings now have an ex Springbok Hooker (Bandise Maku), 3 ex Super Rugby props (Jaco Engels, Clint Newland & Schalk Ferreira), an ex Springbok lock and an ex Super Rugby lock (Stephen Sykes & Darren Nell), an ex kotsing Springbok No 8 (Luke Watson), 2 ex Super Rugby scrummies (Falie Oelshig & Scott Mathie), a Currie Cup winning flyhalf (Catrakilis), an ex Super Rugby fullback at centre (Tyger Mangweni), a Samoan Centre (Paul Perez) and an ex Super Rugby wing at fullback (Michael Killian)… oh and they have 2 Ex Blitzbokke 7’s players (Mpho Mbiyozo & Zwandile Stick).
Which of these players would make the starting 15 in ANY of the other Super Rugby sides in the competition?
Maybe Maku, Sykes or Catrakilis… and if you’re generous maybe Paul Perez & Michael Killian…. but damn they would ALL battle to find a spot in a Super Rugby run-on side!
… but that’s the thing… they are all Ex-Status players, no current Springboks, no current Super Rugby players or stars, no game breakers…
They are going to get bliksemmed left, right and centre in EVERY game of Super Rugby in 2013!
grootblousmile wrote:
IT LOOKS THAT WAY, BUT IN THE FIRST HALVES THEY MIGHT GIVE A FEW TEAMS A PROPER SCARE. i THINK THEY WONT HAVE THE DEPTH ON THE BENCH.
sorry caps
Cape Town – Western Province players caused some chaos during their Currie Cup victory parade when they threw money at the crowd assembled in Khayelitsha.
After an 11-year drought, WP beat the Sharks 25-18 in last Saturday’s final in Durban, and paraded their new silverware through the city on Tuesday.
When the procession reached Khayelitsha, the team found their route lined by thousands of fans.
Players, including wing Bryan Habana, nearly caused a stampede when they threw money, including R50 notes, at the crowd.
As the money was thrown from the bus, fans jostled to get their hands on the cash. There were no reported injuries.
3 @ GBS,
And apparently Perez might be leaving too! Schlechter who was one of their better props also leaving, so already they lose players. Newland going to retire in Europe too, so he won’t be available. Schalk is decent, but Engels is past his prime, and will battle to keep up with the faster pace. This was already apparent in Bloem vs the Cheetahs. Nell (32), Mangweni (33) and Falie (34) are all getting long in the toof.
So a good 50% of their “experienced” are on their last legs.
I think they are on a hididng next to nothing too! Add in the injuries, that are bound to come, with the higher physicality and intensity, and I predict by round 4, they will into the u/21 ranks.
I think they will struggle, also fear the thrashings they will get from the big teams. Just have to see how Cheetahs spanked them silly in their first relegation game. I know they will have quite a few different players for Super Rugby, but really they should have played Currie Cup first to get themselves ready.
Not sure of the fixtures for next year as nothing up here, but I remember reading that they play Sharks one week (think not sure) then Chiefs and after that they travel to NZ to play Crusaders. That is damn tough on a team that has never faced that kind of opposition. Saru to blame here, they really should have played CC until 2015 then come into Super Rugby.
Anyhow I rate Maku he is a really good hooker, would not have minded if Sharks got him on loan, then we do have 3 hookers already for Super Rugby.
@ superBul:
Ja it was apparently chaos out there.
The guys were handing out caps and water bottles and signed merchandise and there was a bit of an angry stampede when they ran out (classic “give me” culture)At the end the guys literally gave them the money out of their own wallets.
It wasn’t a case of someone doing a Kenny Kunene impersonation. They were genuinely trying to give something to those who didn’t get (ungrateful b@stards, I would have told them to fark off).
5 @ superBul:
8 @ Stormersboy:
Eishhhh, we’re huuuungry, boss!
I think the pumping the Kings got against a basically Cheetahs “B” team, is a good thing. It will help them to see how far they are off.
Look, I hate the way that the whole thing was dealt with by SARU (the real criminals in this story IMHO). Even though the Lions lost in the Semi-final, they still looked really good. And the worst part of it all is that they are really now in a rebuilding phase. So literally the worst time to kick them. Then again, if you are a company, or division of a company, or employer, and you consistently show the kind of returns the Lions have been over the past 5-6 years… well then… But that’s something else.
As for the Kings. I REALLY wish them the best of luck, fully and completely! Not only for them, but for SA Rugby. If they play, against an Australasian team, I will support them 100%.
Good luck Kings.
Have to agree with SB, they COULD surprise a few teams. Look at the Rebels.
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