With an injury cloud hanging over captain Luke Watson the Southern Kings have named Darron Nell as captain for their clash against the Sharks in Port Elizabeth this weekend.
rugby365
Watson was injured in the Kings’ 22-10 victory over the Western Force in their top flight debut two weeks ago, suffering a blow to the throat which caused extensive inflammation.
Kings director of rugby Alan Solomons said the loose forward’s spot on the bench would be evaluated later in the week after a final fitness test.
“We are hoping Luke will be alright to take his place this weekend, but we will assess his position later,” Solomons said on Tuesday.
“Because we have such a big game against the Sharks this weekend, we did not want to delay the naming of the starting XV. We want it settled early in the week, hence we have to put Luke on the bench.”
“The consequence of that is that Darron [Nell] comes up in place of David Bulbring, and takes up the leadership of the side,” he said.
Watson’s place in the team has been taken by Jacques Engelbrecht, who made a big impact with his driving play against the Force, helping the Kings to victory.
Lock David Bulbring drops to the bench in place of Daniel Adongo, while Nicolas Vergallo replaces Johan Herbst among the substitutes.
Andries Strauss, who celebrates his 29th birthday this week, holds onto his vice captaincy, while Schalk Ferreira, who was battling a bit with a slight rib injury last week, has been named in the starting line-up.
The Kings have named an unchanged starting backline that produced a dominant display against the Force two weeks ago.
Nell has been a regular in the EP Kings set-up since playing for the invitation team which took on the 2009 British Lions and has proved a strong leader of the Eastern Province side.
“Darron has been with us from the start, in fact, longer than I have,” Solomons said.
“He has led the EP team with distinction. He will get strong support from vice-captain Andries Strauss and [lock] Steven Sykes who did such a good job when Luke left the field against the Force.”
Nell, who led a Kings franchise side in a friendly against the Sharks last year, said he was delighted to be included in the set-up.
“It’s a great honour to be here as the captain but we are facing a very different challenge from last year,” he said.
“This is a completely different ballgame, but we will be ready for it.”
Playing against one of South Africa’s top Super Rugby teams, Solomons said they hoped to have a full stadium in support after 32 000 fans came to watch the game against the Force.
“It’s good to have a few [three] home games to start with and we are hoping to have a full house on Saturday,” Solomons said.
“Given that the Sharks are one of South Africa’s premier teams, and from our encouraging performance against the Force, we are hoping for strong support.”
Southern Kings: 15 SP Marais, 14 Marcello Sampson, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Cornell du Preez, 5 Darron Nell (Captain), 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Jaco Engels, 18 David Bulbring, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Nicolas Vergallo, 21 George Whitehead, 22 Hadleigh Parkes.
Date: Saturday 9 March
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Kick-off: 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT)
Referee: Jason Jaftha (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
TMO: Johann Meuwessen
I might find myself supporting the Sharks this weekend.
1 @ Loosehead:
No doubts, me too.. simple choice really!
Kings vice-captain Andries Strauss says they are eager to prove their worth against a Sharks team laden with Springboks this weekend.
The Kings started with a surprise 22-10 win over the Force in their first Super Rugby outing but know full well they’ll face a difference challenge in Port Elizabeth on Saturday night.
However, Strauss, who turned 29 on Tuesday, said the team will be looking to up their intensity levels against their coastal rivals.
“As a team we have set ourselves goals, and winning one game doesn’t mean we’ve really achieved anything yet… There is a big onus on us to improve on that and if we want to win more games in this competition then we are going to have to improve on that.
“There is no better way than to take on a side with fifteen Springboks and showing the world once again that we can play this game,” he said.
Meanwhile, head coach Matt Sexton said they were expecting the game to be quite physical, with the Sharks most likely to be looking at wearing down the Kings scrum.
“We will definitely be looking at improving our level of ball retention. If you consider that during the Western Force game we made in excess of a hundred tackles in the first half of the game, which, if you have to take those sort of statistics into every game, sooner or later you’re going to run out of petrol, so we want to make sure we retrieve the ball and hold onto it,” he said.
Former Sharks player, Steven Sykes, who also takes to the field in his second game for the Kings, said he was looking forward to playing against his former team-mates.
“I think the people will treat us with a bit more respect than what they had before the season. I think we did very well in the first game that we played and we showed that we are here and we are here to stay. I don’t think people will send their second string sides down to us, so it’s a nice challenge for us as well.”
Sykes said he was also looking forward to playing to a full house at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.
I think that the commitment and intensity with which the Kings played against an admittedly poor Force side made them more friends than they lost.
Even as a die hard Lions supporter I was impressed by the way they closed the game out, and couldn’t help comparing that to some performances by the Lions and Cheetahs in recent years where on numerous occasions defeat has been grasped from the jaws of victory.
I will not be at all surprised if the Lions end up playing the Cheetahs in the promotion / relegation games at the end of the SR league section.
Maybe due to politics, maybe due to the (Chee)’tahs end last in the SA conference.
Jeez, the people like to talk the Kings up…
This weekend we’ll really see where they stand… or fall.
Guts and passion will probably make them last for about a good half an hour…. then that dam wall will have to burst.
… if it does’nt, I’ll be very surprised and start looking at the Kings in a new light as far as playing possibilities are concerned.
At this stage they are no more than one-trick ponies and a mix of guts and passion – no more, no less!
@ grootblousmile:
Tend to agree with you there GBS. But Scrumdown has a valid point as well. But I cannot get myself to support the Kings.
8 @ Lion4ever:
Look, I can’t get to like them and won’t be bullshitted or bullied into liking them by their supporters, cronies or apologists either.
As far as I’m concerned they are not worthy of having gotten Super Rugby status, simply because of the way it was gotten and done and crafted in the back rooms and because of the way the Lions were stabbed in the back in the process.
Logically this Franchise should have been built on the foundation of at least one strong Currie Cup Union who played in the Premier Division and not in the First Division. For that end SARU should have provided the necessary support and structures years ago to have made it possible to have had this one strong Currie Cup Premier Division side.
Add to that the stench which eminates from the Watson past (dad and son) and the deceit and guile which has surrounded the Squad… and I get to like it even less.
That they showed guts and enough passion in that first game against the rubbish Force is true and it is indeed correct that they closed that game out quite well, but seriously for the Southern Kings to end above the Cheetahs, they would have to pull quite a few rabbits out of the hat this year…. on the fumes of limited talent in the squad available.
@ grootblousmile:
Agree, GBS. I think all of us over the years have come up with feasible solutions that SARU could quite have easily implemented. They did surprise us with their performance, but how will they perform against the rest of the teams. The way the Rebels are playing, it will be a big ask for them to win any more games.
loosehead @ 1, gbs @ 2
why?
11 @ Ashley:
Why not?
11 @ Ashley:
My superbru needs it.
I think that I am last.
loosehead @ 13
lol, i think you are!! saw you struggling last week!! see you have the same problem as me … picking with the heart!!
gbs @ 12
if you “support” the sharks on bru, then i’d understand … but if you support the sharks against the kings, then you’re just plain stupid (meant in the nicest way, btw!!)
15 @ Ashley:
Check comment No 9
Ashley, I will repeat this ad nauseum. I will support any team that plays against the Kings.
lions @ 17
i know!!
gbs @ 9
in my view (does that make me an apologist?) theres TWO culprits here … and none of them the kings/spears/ep.
youre right … they (the kings) SHOULDVE come into superrugby on the strength of playing AT LEAST one or two seasons in the cc … but can you see the kings’ predicament here … how many players can you think of that wouldve left their own unions on the promise of MAYBE being included in superrugby? so how could they have been judge on the STRENGTH of their performance in cc rugby when they had no chance to bring big names to their union? now, SARUGBY on numerous occasion PROMISED superrugby inclusion to the eastern cape, and then never delivered. SARU had ample time and oppertunity (remember the expansion not so long ago to super15) to cater for the inclusion of the kings without any hick-ups (and without the lions losing their place in the process), but they were never planning to keep their promise (again), so why provide for it? it was SARU who gave the lions the insurance that they will not lose their place, no-one else!
now, i said there was two culprits here … the other is the lions themselves. they allowed their administration to ruin a once proud union and make them the laughing stock of superrugby, not to mention claims of bankruptcy etc etc etc. the best thing theyve done in years is (with the help of SARU) organising the current competition the lions is playing in (and that was borne out of desperation)!
now
i for one would like to see the kings do well in this competition. whether they will, remain to be seen. their first game though gave us an indication, not only what they can bring into the sarugby landscape in terms of audiences, but also the kind of players they can give exposure to (who in most cases never wouldve gotten that exposure).
..
there! thats my 10c worth!
19 @ Ashley:
SARU lies at the root of most of my ire towards the Southern Kings… but that is not where it stops… and a lenghty discussion could follow why I do not like the 2 Watsons and view them as opportunists with agendas.
Suffice to say, I don’t like the Watsons.
Now, why would I pick The Sharks over the Southern Kings?
Well, because I like the way the Sharks have built depth and a strong brand over the years… with clever business strategies and good marketing! I respect that!
My South African preferences for team support is:
1. Bulls
2. Cheetahs
3. Stormers
4. Sharks
Then, going over to our Anzac brothers accross the pond:
5. Chiefs
6. Highlanders
7. Hurricanes
8. Blues
9. Crusaders
10. Brumbies
11. Waratahs
12. Reds
Then, and then only:
13. Southern Kings
14. Melbourne Rebels
15. Western Force
Must admit that No 13 – 15 are very, very close together and on any other day I might interchange them…
So, there you have it, I will support at least 12 sides before the Southern Kings.
gbs @ 20
i was merely refering to the fact that we are playing in conferences and that nowadays you would prefer teams like the sharks etc to drop a few points here and there and thus give your own team a better chance at topping your conference (and so get a home play-off spot)!
btw
the bulls wouldnt even get a mention on my log!!
on the watsons … look i dont know these guys … so i will, like with everyone else, give them the benefit of the doubt. i dont know whether you had personal contact with one or both of them to give you better insight!
btw, how can you be angry with the kings if you concede that saru is the root of your anger?
21 @ Ashley:
I would want the Sharks to get 5 Log points, because ultimately I want 3 SA sides in the top 6.
The Bulls must pull finger and get their Log points to have a home play-off spot… no freebies!
23 @ Ashley:
I am miffed at the way they got in and at their own and Watson’s hand in the dark room brawls…
Look, just accept that I don’t fancy the Southern Kings, not at all.
gbs @ 24
jou ou grapjas!! 3 sa teams i die top 6 … nou daais ñ goeie een!!
26 @ Ashley:
Daar was inderdaad 3 in 2012.
gbs @ 25
i have no problem if you do not fancy the kings. i am just confused with all the anger/hatred piled onto the kings when it shouldve been directed at SARU!
gbs @ 27
and the game have moved on since then
Jaques Engelbrecht is n yster!
Hoop vir Sharks se part hulle bring vir daai Lukas Watshonbu vroeg op……
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