Expecting the worst, I was reluctant to the point of rather snooze off in front of the TV when the Southern Kings vs Western Force match started at 06:00 this morning in New Zealand.
The first 10 minutes was not encouraging at all with the Kings hardly seeing the ball. On the brink of switching the TV off, the Kings scored the first try of the match. Intrigued I started to watch, with more interest and what a delight it turned out to be.
SuperBru points in the back of my mind, I was not concerned about them losing. So I kept on watching not because they were edging ahead and eventually winning but because of the delightful rugby they dished-up.
The defence was good, the set piece solid (mostly), the line-out better than the Stormers on the weekend and the ball handling in the backline refreshing and full of variation. There was some enchanting inter-passing between forwards and backs, good hands, nice light touches and good decision-making when they carried the ball. Some exciting new talent was on display as well on the wing with Sergeal Petersen. Demetri Catrakilis had an impressive game at flyhalf. Seems that we have a wing here that could be a Springbok in the making and Catrakilis impressed as a flyhalf that can dictate as well as play the running game.
The commitment of the pack and their structures at the breakdown and set piece was promising, considering that it’s a first outing.
The Force probably underestimated them and is certainly not the biggest challenge which the Kings are going to face this year but it’s not the victory that had me sitting up while watching this bunch. It is the enchanting style of play, the variation on attack, the light touches, the way they attacked space, the offload in the tackles, the general ball handling, the structures at the breakdowns, the organised and committed defence and that one pushover scrum on attack that had me on the front of my seat.
What a delight to see a SA team that did not bore us to the bone with a kickathon kick-and-charge a la the Bulls or flap-flap recycle ad infinitum a la the Lions or stampkar-smash-it-up and flat-line defend for 80 minutes a la the Stormers or leak-tries-while-running-around-like-headless-chickens a la the Cheetahs.
It’s early days but if these guys produce some more of this, they’ll have my support, that’s for sure.
Herewith the Audio Soundbites from the 2 Post Match press conferences, curtecy of Eishmedia (we supply them with Audio from up north, they supply us with Audion from down south) – thanks Kevin Abbott:
Western Force:
Well Mac is share your delight. I said a few weeks back that i am looking forward to see what Matt Sexton can bring to the SA Conference. I expected a New Zealand style of play and i also expected a great TEAM effort, 15 players playing for their coach and each other.
On Monday when the NMMU was robbed by the Maties and ref we saw something that happened in the EC, i am sure the Lions can be beaten NOW.
Great work ,great TEAMWORK
Really well done to the Kings!
McLook,
I changed your article, all round…. it never was and never will be the EP Kings… it is the Southern Kings, a franchise consisting of the SWD Eagles, Border Bulldogs and EP Kings.
Also, that picture…. hell that was large, that 1st picture MUST be thumbnail size (83 pixels x 83 pixels).
I must say the way the Southern Kings played, pleasantly surprised me and I never expected a win from them.
However, the game was against the worst Australian team and probably the 14th (or now maybe the 15th) best out of 15 sides in the tournament.
The Kings had no possession or virtually none in the 1st half, at one stage the stats said the Force had 70% possession and even more territory, so where you get it from that their set piece was solid… I don’t know.
Their breakdown work was appalling in the 1st half too.
Stronger sides will bliksem these guys senseless and there are 13 sides stronger than the Force. Stronger sides will have even more possession and what’s more, stronger sides will be able to finish their chances…. unlike the Force who did not finish a plethera of chances.
What was good, on the whole night for the Kings was their defence. In this department I give them full marks and loud applause!
For the first game EVER for the Southern Kings, one should have expected bucket loads and spades and spades full of passion and committment, wanting to show the world they belong in the competition, much like the Argentinian Pumas showed in the 1st few games in The Rugby Championship. This was certainly the case last night and eventually when their tails were up, it translated into a full 80 minute performance.
This was their Everest, their highest peak… their biggest mountain… and the most possible or probable game to target to win.
So, before I laud them, I want to point out that one swallow does not make a summer, as I alluded to last night after the game. But let’s give them their due… they won against the odds… and a few players really stood up to be counted.
Steven Sykes was a monster, the whole night!
That Engelbrecht replacement for Luke was hard as nails, great strike runner – fabulous performance by him.
Venter, the scrummie was bloody good.
Demetri Catrakilis was better than Elton Jantjies and better than Johan Goosen on the weekend, he was solid with the boot from hand and to posts.
The centre pairing was surprisingly refreshing, but it must be remembered it was only the Force centres.
Sergeal Petersen, the 18-year old wonderkid finished magnificently… what a debut into the big time for the youngster!
SP Marais was industrious and nippy, very refreshing for a fullback.
Wider than that I would not go.
I didn’t see too much of this game, as I was on 6N duty, but what I did see, I concur with McLook. There has been absolutely no change in styles to the SA sides that I could see, bar perhaps the Sharks that looked good in the first half, but seemed to lose it later in the game. The Sharks certainly looked SA’s best bet to raise the crown after the first weekend, and my boys, the Stormers, looked simply hopeless. The off season, that should have bought a much needed change to their style, and certainly seemed as if AC en family were well on the way to doing, especially with the signing of Taute and Jantjies, didn’t materialise, and they looked shocking. They will lose badly this year if they don’t change their tactics, the other sides can read them like a book now.
Kings were certainly a breath of fresh air in a weekend of pretty boring SA S15
Have to agree with Smiles here. Was very pleased to see the kings win and happy for them and happy about their approach but fortune favoured them while the Farce underestimated them and were poor. This result will do a lot for their confidence but their next matches will be far harder and now the other teams won’t be expecting a walkover.
I just hope the Bulls dont make the same mistake the Force made and underestmate them.
OUR Record against the FORCE is not good, Played 6 won 3 lost 3
We seem to struggle against them. Last year they cost us a valuable few points by beating us in Perth.
They have a win at Fortress Loftus too.
No i dont see them as the worst team, yes they had the poorer kicker last night.
But Like NMMU they defended very well.
grootblousmile wrote:
eish this is scary, hope this mindset never gets to the BULLS
Sorry old mate GBS, i am scared about the next Bulls game.
We might feel cocky and underestimate them
we also worked very hard for this Derby so our motivation was super high, just like the Kings
Force will be desperate now, very dangerous.
I dont feel we have a easy game next
7 @ superBul:
-Super Rugby Log of 2012 says the Force ended 14th, just above the Lions.
-In 2011 they finished 12th, above the Brumbies (before Jake White took control) and the first-timer Rebels. Both the Brumbies and Rebels have overtaken the Force, that’s for sure.
-In 2010 they finished 13th out of 14 (was still the Super 14 then).
So I think it’s safe to say they are the 14th or 15th best side out there….
I don’t think the Bulls will underestimate them, Frans Ludeke was saying Friday night that he’ll pick the best 22 available for the Force and that it’s the Bulls 1st Australian / International match of the competition, so it’s very important, before they go on a very arduous tour.
There are no easy games in Super Rugby!
grootblousmile wrote:
agree, so dont downgrade my adopted teams great effort. If the Force could kick it would have been a humdinger
10 @ superBul:
I’m not downgrading anything, I was being realistic that the Kings have just tougher battles left.. and should get klapped sideways because of just that.
Kings defence was good, their amount of possession was bad… other sides won’t let them get away with those factors….
@ grootblousmile:
JA, ja.
Will jy double of kwits , dat die Kings nog een gaan wen?
12 @ superBul:
Ja, ek wil… seblief
PS! Die 2 “BYE” weekends is NIE wenne nie… hehehe
Who do you think is going to win the South African Conference of the Super Rugby?
Blue Bulls
125
Stormers
118
Cheetahs Rugby
17
The Sharks
58
Southern Kings
6
And NO its not me who voted for the Kings
14 @ superBul:
Hehehehe
6 Flokken optimistiese dom flokkers….
Luke se 2 broers, sy 2 ooms.. en die broers se 2 meisies / vroue?
Hahahaha
@ grootblousmile:
Deal, nou kan ek uitsien na 2 kaste of n Baie Happy vriend wat nie n wedenskap op die Kings verloor het nie.
I win both ways.
Just for You, Cappie
16 @ superBul:
Wie gaan wen tussen die Sharks en die Stormers komende naweek?
Sjoe , waar speel hulle?
18 @ superBul:
Deben, by ve seeeea!
Ek dink die Stormers gaan weer kak…
Sharks het gevaarlik gelyk in die 1ste halfte teen die Staat….
Ek dink die Sharke, met so 5-8 punte
21 @ superBul:
Tuks / Maties moremiddag?
Dink dis in Pretoria
Dit was swaar om Saterdag eers vir Habana en toe Gerhard te sien speel teen ons, die lojaliteit ding le maar nog na aan my hart.
Hey, laat ek Notebook toevou… het netnie kans gesien om freegin Maggie Thatcher se Iron Lady te moes kyk nie.
Harde dag wat voorlê more….
@ grootblousmile:
Tuks man, blindelings , come hell or high water. Ek wil tog nie iets he om kamtag te celebrate as die Tukke verloor nie. Nee wat Tuks met 10
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Kings-powered-by-the-hatred-20130224
grootblousmile wrote:
selde hier, praat weer more , lekker nag
@ grootblousmile@4:
You wrote: “The Kings had no possession or virtually none in the 1st half, at one stage the stats said the Force had 70% possession and even more territory, so where you get it from that their set piece was solid… I don’t know”
Half time the coach said they need to hold onto the ball more. Problem in the first half was that they kept on losing the ball or kicked it away. Their scrum and line-out was not perfect but I thought they did front-up quite well in those two aspects. They had a couple of really good scrums and competed reasonably well in the line-outs. To put it this way they did better in the scrum and line-out than I thought they would.
grootblousmile@4 wrote:
Agree. They came out focussed because it wa stheir first match and they had much to prove. This is why I wrote that the Force was probably not the toughest oposition they are going to face and that I would only really get behind them if they can back it up.
What I did like about them was that they bring something different to the table and hopefully they can keep it up and donn’t disintergrate when they play the big boys.
Just For Kicks@5 wrote:
Totally agree. The big SA sides is just doing the same old same old yet again. Very annoying to the point of one not wanting to watch (support them) anymore. Definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.
NZ sides are revamping themselves. Every single side has made changes to the way they played two or three years ago. No change with the Bulls, Cheethahs, Stormers over the last 5 years. Sharks slight changes. This is why I liked what I saw from the Kings. Something different and I truelly hope they man-up against the big boys because SA rugby need a franchise that not so stooped in tradition that it is unable to change.
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