Kings make triple swoop
3 Oct 2012
The Kings have signed Lions hooker Bandise Maku and two internationals in Kiwi utility back Hadleigh Parkes and Argentina scrumhalf Nicolas Vergallo.
Maku exits the Lions after spending two years in Johannesburg. He missed the entire 2012 Super Rugby season through injury, but made his comeback during the current Currie Cup campaign.
The 26-year-old also spent five seasons at the Bulls, while he played one Test for the Springboks, against Italy in 2010.
Director of rugby Alan Solomons believes Maku’s experience will help the Kings during their debut Super Rugby campaign next season.
‘Bandise comes with plenty experience during his time with the Lions and the Bulls,’ Solomons told keo.co.za. ‘He’s also played for the Springboks.
‘He’s a hometown boy, having gone to Dale as a schoolboy. He also represented Border at the U18 Craven Week.’
Solomons added that the recruitment of Parkes and Vergallo will give the Kings’ squad some much-needed international pedigree.
‘Hadleigh has played for the Blues in Super Rugby and captained Auckland in the New Zealand Cup,’ said Solomons. ‘His ability to play centre, wing and fullback creates depth in the backline.
‘Nicolas is also an experienced scrumhalf for the Pumas. They’ve rotated their No 9s during the Rugby Championship, and both of them have performed really well on the Test stage. Nicolas also boasts some European club experience as he joins us from French Top 14 champions Toulouse.
‘We struggled to sign South African players with international experience because of the late announcement in August. But we are hoping guys like Hadleigh and Nicolas can add value in this regard.’
Meanwhile, the Kings are yet to hear a reply from Saru with regards to their request to lift the restrictions of the foreign player rule. According to current regulations, South African franchises may only field a maximum of two internationals.
However, Kings president Cheeky Watson is confident that their request will be accepted.
‘We are not sure whether we will be allowed to field as many as six internationals, but we haven’t received any rejections yet,’ Watson told this site.
By Gareth Duncan
66 Comments
3 Oct 2012, 14:54 pm
I for one am behind the Kings.
The Lions have failed over and over again and don’t seem to be learning from their mistakes.
3 Oct 2012, 14:59 pm
@londonshark-1: A lot of the Cape Town guys are behind them as well……..but for way different reasons…..
3 Oct 2012, 15:01 pm
You don’t say, and will the Kings make the premiership CC competition which is a relegation match or will they have an epic fail and continue to play first division next year, there are no political appointments in the CC so they will have to win against either the Bulls or Griquas.
3 Oct 2012, 15:01 pm
The Kings are about as legit as a Malema engineering tender. Sure, some people will benefit, but even they will feel a bit dirty about it.
3 Oct 2012, 15:03 pm
@katman-4: Their structures are about as solid as a wooden kakhuis built by Juju himself….
3 Oct 2012, 15:04 pm
@umkhonto-3: They’ll probably be squeezed in somehow. Probably at the Griquas expense, or perhaps the Premier division will increase to seven teams.
3 Oct 2012, 15:06 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-5: Is Juju also in the lavatorial supply sector? Then I’m sure he knows Skoppie. It’s very small cesspool.
3 Oct 2012, 15:06 pm
What makes a player a hometown boy, born there, played craven week there, went to primary school there, has a girlfreind there please enlighten me. I for one would say if you play Craven week then that would be your home town.
3 Oct 2012, 15:08 pm
@katman-7: Wonder wether Skop still styles his ‘Kakhuis warrior’ sticker on the back of his ’89 Isuzu KB 250
3 Oct 2012, 15:16 pm
enter tranformation stage left…
3 Oct 2012, 15:24 pm
I agree that the Kings entrance is,um,dodgy.
But they replacing a team that doesn’t even pay their partners.
Between the Lions and the Kings, I choose the Kings.
PS I think the Kings will beat the Lions in the promotion/relegation game (assuming it will be the Kings playing of course).
3 Oct 2012, 15:56 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-10: And exit ethics & morals stage right…
3 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-10:
@BrumbiesBoy-12:
Lol
3 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@londonshark-11: Their partners? Okay tell me, which partners are the Sharks paying with all their Super Rugby dosh?
Oh, that’s right. They ditched their partners seven years ago. And who were their partners?
Oh, that’s right. EP and Border.
3 Oct 2012, 16:01 pm
@londonshark-11: The Kings will beat the Lions, the team sitting at the top of the CC premier division? You must be high.
3 Oct 2012, 16:04 pm
@katman-14:
Actually, EP and Border ditched the Sharks.
3 Oct 2012, 16:07 pm
@David-16: Ah, I see. Is that the way it’s told these days? Well, apparently they only “ditched” the Sharks after the Sharks paid them to ditch them.
3 Oct 2012, 16:18 pm
@katman-14: bitter much?
tell us katman, why did the Lions “ditch” the Cats franchise?
3 Oct 2012, 17:00 pm
@katman-17: So were they paid or not ? You say who is the Sharks paying ? You say they are in fact not paying their Partners EP and Border cos they ditched them and then you say they were ditched cos the sharks paid them………
I know you a passionate Lions supporter but the above just dont make sense. anyways , re the Kings I say yipppeeeeeee !!! Good for them !
Lastly Katman , the way things are going now the Lions will not beat the Kings come next year , they will have no players left.
3 Oct 2012, 17:10 pm
@sparticus-19: Try to keep up, Spartypants. Two completely different payments here. One is the money the Lions had to pay its partners in terms of the Super 14 agreement, and the other is the kind of payment that makes a problem go away. In other words, the Sharks held out a big fat envelope of cash, which they kept on snatching away from EP and Border until they promised to go far away and never show up at their Super Rugby front door again.
3 Oct 2012, 17:15 pm
@katman-20: “the Sharks held out a big fat envelope of cash, which they kept on snatching away from EP and Border until they promised to go far away and never show up at their Super Rugby front door again.”
how much was paid and did SARU ratify this? if yes, show us evidence
bring it.
3 Oct 2012, 17:19 pm
@katman-20: Ok , thats hearsay though. Do you have proof of it or is it like Simons “open secrets” thingies ?
Also even if true they are least paid them , The lions did not pay their partners at all. There is proof of that and a court ruling. These are the facts bud.
3 Oct 2012, 18:39 pm
“‘We struggled to sign South African players with international experience because of the late announcement in August.”
BS…. Sneaky Cheeky knew he will get his SR dream. The envelopes was sent out and 2 was returned. So he could have planned better. Pat, Rhodes, Strauss and Oosthuizen all signed with different teams after the news. If they tried harder they could have sign Wynie Olivier. Just send out envelope number 2 and get your 6 foreign player wish.
Also the other teams must be quaking in their boots with all these signings. Bulls please end last this CC. Then give these “kings” a taste of things to come.
Also we will hear this a lot during the 2013 SR season.
“‘We struggled to sign South African players with international experience because of the late announcement in August.”
3 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
_http://www.rugby365.com/article/49954-kings-to-speak-to-hostile-lions
3 Oct 2012, 20:16 pm
@katman-17:
The Sharks paid EP and Border to hold all the games at Kings Park. EP and Border only broke away to form their own Franchise when SA was awarded a 5th Franchise to bid for it with SWD. The same as the Cheetahs decided to dump the Lions to go it alone.
3 Oct 2012, 21:22 pm
all you lions player poaching unions, STOP IT, employ john mitchell and he’ll find you all the talent you need. Lions have unearthed some quality talent under him, many of them under utilized players from YOUR unions. And PLEASE lions players dont sign for the WeePee cause they’ll properly stuff up your career, actually so will the sharks. How many players from these two unions leave every year? often to Europe
4 Oct 2012, 03:12 am
Well so much for the fabled depth of SA rugby!
4 Oct 2012, 07:17 am
“No final decision has yet been made on my future. You guys will be among the first to know where I decide to lay my future.” – On Maku’s Twitter this morning.
4 Oct 2012, 08:22 am
for a team who’s whole ethic and belief system stood for transformation, this is a load of C R A P!!!! Lets get a whole lot of players from other unions…..nice going A S S H O L E S !!!
4 Oct 2012, 08:23 am
@londonshark-11: HILARIOUS! lions battered kings this year 85-0!! you silly little man
4 Oct 2012, 08:34 am
@clownface-30: 85-0?
Please, don’t exaggerate!
It was 88-0!!!
4 Oct 2012, 09:11 am
the 88 – 0 game was a combination of SWD & Border “reserves” .. the game was on a Wednesday – Two days later the REAL KINGS – without any signings etc only lost by 15 points against a full strenght Sharks team …
4 Oct 2012, 09:40 am
@grant100-32: Two days later the REAL KINGS – without any signings etc only lost by 15 points against a full strenght Sharks team
ACTUALLY IT WAS 25 Points 38-13
4 Oct 2012, 09:43 am
@grant100-32: not too mention it was played on kings turf with Keegan Danile getting sin binned.
4 Oct 2012, 09:59 am
when is Daniel NOT sin binned??
4 Oct 2012, 10:29 am
I would like to point out that the Kings team that lost 88-0 to the Lions was a combined Border and SWD team that was used as an experiment to test the depth of the existing local players.
The Kings team that runs on for their first game next year will be a very different team even from their current team, and come what may can’t do any worse than the Lions. 6 wins in 32 games over 2 years, to follow up on a season where they lost every single game.
4 Oct 2012, 10:37 am
@David-25: AAAAARGGGG david!!!!!!
why let him off by giving the info?
for the past 7 years he has been spewing off this nonsense and now you’ve stopped the delusion! f.uck!
4 Oct 2012, 10:41 am
@grant100-32: @grant100-32: “Reserve team?” Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen all the excuses before: “We were trying new players, combinations, tactics etc etc etc…”
Well guess what sunshine, the Lions were more than likely doing the exact same thing and still
managed to score 88…
4 Oct 2012, 12:05 pm
@Transformation-37: Ag nee Transie… u didn’t? David just confirmed what we all knew.. EP are a money grubbing lot who sold EC Rugby’s heritage down the river years ago. How hard do you think they were pushing the EC cause whilst getting the sheckles in from the Sharks??
They had to use politics and Cheeky to get back to the trough now that the cash has been spent and they were unable to get the 5th franchise (by virtue of being a joke of a union).
4 Oct 2012, 12:09 pm
Ah finally.
The Kings sign a local player of colour.
And then promptly go and sign 2 more foreigners.
Local hotbed of talent indeed.
4 Oct 2012, 12:15 pm
@John Galt-40: Oh no, you mean it’s not going to be a “lilly-white” team like we thought it would be?
My goodness, now I’m upset.
4 Oct 2012, 12:24 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-41:
No it looks like there are going to be a few non whites.
But most of them will be Argies and Maoris fellas. Probably counts as transformation in Cheekys eyes.
4 Oct 2012, 12:26 pm
Shopping list for Kings:
Brian Mujati
Get Kolisi back
Elton Janties
Ngudane twins
JP Pieterson
4 Oct 2012, 12:42 pm
It would be nice to have Whitehead & Jordaan back in the EC as well
4 Oct 2012, 13:08 pm
@whitey01-44: This emotional “They will come home to their roots” expectation always has me bemused.
Ever stop to think that most of those players were doing their best to get away from the worst run place in SA??
4 Oct 2012, 13:20 pm
@Rooibaard2000-39: foolish conjencture!
what did you “all know”?
katman was talking about money Border & EP took NOT to be part of the Coastal Sharks franchise! now i asked yesterday already to produce evidence of such a deal/money and to confirm to me whether SARU ratified this “divorce” .
he has not produced zilch because it is a f.ucking LIE that he concocted in his mind to justify the s.hit done by administrators at the GLRU!
the Lions have no more right to be in Super rugby than any other franchise, gey over it!
4 Oct 2012, 13:22 pm
@stormersboy-45: oh yeah your favourite, now it’s about political governance
4 Oct 2012, 13:24 pm
@Transformation-46: But Transie from a neutral perspective don’t you think the countries biggest city should have a S15 franchise?
4 Oct 2012, 13:29 pm
@Skeppie-48:
They do – the Bullions.
4 Oct 2012, 13:29 pm
@WP-Forever-49:
It is eGoli after all – call the team the Gold Bullions.
4 Oct 2012, 13:30 pm
@Skeppie-48: The country’s biggest city also has the lowest crowd attendance in Super Rugby.
This break will do the Lions good.
CC Champions in 2011 and 2012
4 Oct 2012, 13:32 pm
@WP-Forever-49: Pretoria and Johannesburg are not the same cities.
4 Oct 2012, 13:33 pm
@willievz-51: I agree with you on that and I am not pro lions or pro kings I just think the country needs JHB to have a team eventually (again). It cannot be god for the game of rugby in SA to not have a top team in your biggest city
4 Oct 2012, 13:34 pm
@Skeppie-52:
As far as I’m concerned, it is now one city – a single, contiguous, built-up urban area.
4 Oct 2012, 13:36 pm
@WP-Forever-54: \
sprawl.
4 Oct 2012, 13:37 pm
@Transformation-47: It’s not just about that but the region (and it’s sporting union as well) is a perfect example of political interference being detrimental to the system as a whole.
Everyone in the EC (yourself included) seem to hold this view that many of it’s favorite sporting sons will come home as soon as the region gets a Super Rugby team.
The fact is, Morne Steyn grew up here but plays his rugby in Pretoria and he ain’t never coming “home” (at least not in a sporting sense).
The same for the majority of the EC bred players who have found fame, fortune and (most importantly) security elsewhere.
I’d be surprised if most of them were not only too grateful to be given a chance at a way out to be honest.
No one expects the Kings experiment to last longer than next season, so very few players will even consider committing to such a gamble. For the record I think that SARU compounded the wrong when, after committing to the Kings (which i believe they should not have done) they only gave them 1 year, with playoffs to follow. 2 wrongs, on top of each other.
Oh and while we are on the subject of the Lions, I fee;l the same about them and players moving to the GLRU, at least with any long term expectation.
4 Oct 2012, 13:37 pm
@gunther-55:
Yes. Almost like Parklands.
4 Oct 2012, 13:46 pm
@Skeppie-48: SARU runs ALL the rugby UNIONS and not only the ones in the biggest cities…
the Lions messed up their own finances, which is funny enough, the reason the southern spears lost the franchise bidding in 2004/5, now we’ve sorted our mess and the shoe is on the other foot, yet some people like yourself tend to make excuses for the GLRU.
4 Oct 2012, 13:53 pm
@WP-Forever-57:
where is parklands?
4 Oct 2012, 13:55 pm
@stormersboy-56: hahaha “Everyone in the EC (yourself included)” assumptions are a b.itch.
where have i ever expressed such a notion?
“the bring them home” idea is part of the marketing strategy of the Kings, it has worked to an extent when you consider than Rory, Tiger, Nokwe, Killian – all of them long in the tooth maybe – came back… this is about bringing pride back to South Eastern Cape rugby and getting the kids who are in our schools system excited and not want to leave – Sergeal Pietersen is an example, highly rated, the Bulls were seeking to sign him big time, he is now at the Kings Academy for the next 3 years…
your literal interpretation of the notion…………………..well let me stop here
4 Oct 2012, 13:59 pm
@stormersboy-56:
you don’t understand the dynamic.
4 Oct 2012, 14:04 pm
@gunther-61: there’s no “dynamic” in this case, fortunately
4 Oct 2012, 14:05 pm
hahaha.
I told you.
bladddy agent.
4 Oct 2012, 14:25 pm
@Transformation-60: Plenty.
And i understand the dynamic fine.
I just don’t see it the same as you.
@gunther-61: Call me Bond. James Bond.
4 Oct 2012, 14:27 pm
Well this thing is done and dusted about who plays Super Rugby and who does not, the biggest question is are the Lions even going to get the relegation match next year – has it been voted on.The Kings have to produce and I don’t believe SARU should allow them to hire more than the allocated amount of foreign players.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
The Lions have still a mountain to climb if they want to stay competitive, it will not be easy for them but I think they were a lot smarter on the loan system they are going to make money from their players.
I read that Maku denies signing with the Kings on his twitter account, so the plot thickens.
4 Oct 2012, 14:28 pm
@stormersboy-64:
And Transie is Mr Big.
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