EP suffer late blow
18 Oct 2012
The EP Kings have lost wing Marcello Sampson to a groin injury ahead of their Currie Cup promotion-relegation clash against the Free State Cheetahs on Friday.
The speedster hurt himself during the captain’s run and will be replaced by wing Michael Killian. Norman Nelson provides cover on the bench for the match in Bloemfontein.
Sampson joins captain Luke Watson, lock Darron Nell, prop Schalk Ferreira and utility back Tiger Mangweni on the Kings’ injury list.
EP will face a weakened Free State Cheetahs team, who are without 13 first-choice players (including Springboks Coenie Oosthuizen, Heinrich Brussow and Johan Goosen). However, director of rugby Alan Solomons stressed that the hosts will still be favourites.
‘Participation in the Premier Division is crucial for us,’ Solomons told keo.co.za. ‘We are competing in the Super Rugby next year, so to play in the top domestic competition will increase the growth of our team and our junior players.
‘However, it’s going to be a tough challenge to achieve that against Free State. Normally you play one of the smaller unions in the promotion-relegation play-offs, but we have to beat one of the top five unions in the country.
‘As a top union and a Super Rugby franchise, the Cheetahs have the depth to replace those injured players. As a First Division union, we don’t have the same kind of depth. But our junior players have stepped up; lock Reynier Bernardo and inside centre Shane Gates are both still U21 and are from our academy.’
Cheetahs – 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Nico Scheepers, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Phillip van der Walt, 7 Lappies Labuschange, 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Izak van der Merwe, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Subs: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Schalk van der Merwe, 18 Carl Wegner, 19 Davon Ruabenheimer, 20 Tewis du Bruyn, 21 Phillip Snyman, 22 Rayno Benjamin.
EP Kings (revised) – 15 SP Marais, 14 Paul Perez, 13 Wayne Stevens (c), 12 Shane Gates, 11 Michael Killian 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Falie Oelschig, 8 Cornell Du Preez, 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Devin Oosthuizen, 5 David Bullbring, 4 Reynier Bernardo, 3 Clint Newland, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Jaco Engels.
Subs: 16 Frank Herne, 17 Andre Schlechter, 18 Wayne van Heerden, 19 Mpho Mbiyozo, 20 Scott Mathie, 21 George Whitehead, 22 Norman Nelson.
By Gareth Duncan
130 Comments
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18 Oct 2012, 15:17 pm
An all-white run-on 15. That’s transformation money well spent, SARU.
Unfuckenbelievable.
18 Oct 2012, 15:20 pm
“And so say all of us!”
18 Oct 2012, 15:24 pm
Cheeky Watcson and his “transformation” talk is laughable. Shows how croocked SARU is that they go a long with this nonsense.
18 Oct 2012, 15:24 pm
bean counters R us
18 Oct 2012, 15:30 pm
@Transformation-4: What’s to count? Zero in the starting 15. There’s no counting involved at all. Your Samoan wing doesn’t count, remember? Aren’t you just a little bit baffled by this too? I mean, the heartland of black rugby in SA and the poster child for rugby transformation sends out 14 white kids and a Samoan to REPRESENT?
18 Oct 2012, 15:35 pm
@katman-5: “Aren’t you just a little bit baffled by this too”
not at all, i don’t support an all black Kings team, i support the EP Kings. only those churlish about their relegated teams are feigning surprise
18 Oct 2012, 15:40 pm
Here is Hoskins in an interview just over a month ago:
SARU chairman Oregan Hoskins explained: “One of the reasons that we decided to give a franchise to the Eastern Cape was that historically it has been the place where a large majority of the black players and coloured players come from and we sincerely believe that this will inspire a lot of the youngsters that are there to want to play for their franchise so that is one of the cardinal reasons why we fought so hard to get this franchise going.
“That is why we aspired to form a franchise there – to really get our transformational imperatives to where they should be. That is really the historical black rugby area where people have played rugby for more than a century so they need to get their act together quickly,” he said.
There is a concern that the Kings will import the bulk of their squad for their debut Super Rugby season next year in a bid to keep their spot in the competition, but Hoskins is confident that they will come to the transformation party.
“I think they will come to the party eventually because they have got to take account their own constituents, and the players that are there are going to want to play for their franchise and I think they will be under pressure to prepare those players.
“Together with their leadership we talk about it regularly and I have had regular chats with the President of the Eastern Province Rugby Union and he has assured me that he is dealing with it and that he is actually talking to his coaches regularly,” he said.
Hoskins made it clear that the Kings will not operate by different rules to the other South African franchises, but explained that they have a better opportunity to contribute to transformation than other areas and will be expected to take advantage of that.
“I don’t think we as South African rugby would ever attach conditions to them that are not attached to the other franchises, that would be grossly unfair.
“We are not going to say that they are going to have x number of black players more than any other franchise, what we are saying is that given their situation they need to be looking at it much more than the other franchises.
“To specifically label them with conditions would be totally unfair, we are certainly not going to be there to set them up to fail, in fact it is going to be in South African rugby’s best interests that the Kings succeed because ultimately it is an area that produces future black stars,” he said.
18 Oct 2012, 15:48 pm
Allow me to highlight a few quotes from this piece to add some context to the ZERO black players in this run-on side:
“…they have a better opportunity to contribute to transformation than other areas and will be expected to take advantage of that.”
“…given their situation they need to be looking at it much more than the other franchises.”
“That is really the historical black rugby area where people have played rugby for more than a century so they need to get their act together quickly.”
18 Oct 2012, 15:50 pm
Or if you prefer a little Cheeky, I’ve got some of that too:
“We will only rest when the team is representative of all the demographics of South Africa. And when we hold the Super Rugby trophy aloft,” he says.
18 Oct 2012, 15:52 pm
Come on Kings
18 Oct 2012, 15:52 pm
@katman-8: thank you…
“I don’t think we as South African rugby would ever attach conditions to them that are not attached to the other franchises, that would be grossly unfair.
“We are not going to say that they are going to have x number of black players more than any other franchise”
nothing further to say…your lordship
“
18 Oct 2012, 15:57 pm
@katman-8: “That is really the historical black rugby area” – does this mean injuries and form are to be chucked to the wayside to appease bean-counters like yourself?
hehehehe
18 Oct 2012, 15:58 pm
@katman-8: Gzuz Katman it’s getting old fast mate. Get over it now , we’ve heard your argument on this a billion times, you’re sounding like Skopskiet on Duvenage at 9 or how kak Jake Whith was. The Lions are out, and the Kings can hardly do much worse than they have for the last decade…
The Kings can’t help black development by getting thrashed now can they? Killian is there next best winger, so they picked him, a logical rugby decision. Black people in the Eastern Cape aren’t going to come out and support a black team that gets annihilated all the time.
The Kings need to secure a solid platform so they don’t find themselves in the toilet in a couple of years. Currie Cup promotion would be a massive boost to them.
Personally I’m bloody impressed with this franchise, clearly very well organised. There financial records are now sound, they haven’t been afraid to bring in Kiwi help and seem to already have more fans in the stadium than the Lions.
There is plenty of black talent coming through their structures as well and there will be plenty more once the Kings are an established franchise.
Good luck to them, although I’d still rather have the Rugby Factory that is the Freestate playing in the Currie Cup, but whatever happens happens. This promotion relegation story is fantastic for SA rugby as a whole.
The Lions on the other hand…
18 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
kings are a reality that will not be wished away
18 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@Transformation-11: Finish the sentence, buddy. Any fool can cherry pick half sentences. That one went on to say “…what we are saying is that given their situation they need to be looking at it much more than the other franchises.”
18 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
@Transformation-12: Hahaha yeah Katman, seriously, race doesn’t matter bro. New South Africa and all
Stop going on your quota rants!
18 Oct 2012, 16:04 pm
@Transformation-12: @Bagel-13: Let’s be honest here: The Kings could not find ONE black player to start on Friday, and you guys think it’s not even worth raising? The bullshit detectors are going ballistic everywhere.
Not 5. Not 3. Not 1. Zero. Nil. Nada. Except for a Samoan.
Here is Hoskins late last year, referring not to the Kings but to the other transformation culprits.
“It’s unacceptable that certain unions are still choosing lily-white teams. Saru is committed to transformation, but not all the unions are pulling their weight,” Hoskins said.
Never in his wildest dreams would he imagine that a year later the Kings would be infinitely worse off.
18 Oct 2012, 16:05 pm
@Bagel-13: michael killian went to Muir College in Uitenhage, played for the Mighty Elephants before going to the Lions..he is a Uitenhage boy…
he is as much entitled to start for the Kings as ANY black player from the region…
18 Oct 2012, 16:08 pm
@katman-17: “Let’s be honest here”
this is not an issue of honesty but one of puerile churlishness on your part and you can keep being bitter until the promotion/relegation match i’m sure it beats feeling kak about your Lions
18 Oct 2012, 16:14 pm
Puerile churlishness? While I appreciate you hauling out your Sunday English for me, it doesn’t change anything here. You can deflect, deflect deflect all you want, but given the mandate of the Kings with regards to transformation, the make up of this team is shocking, to put it mildly.
Someone (no, not me) is going to say something to Cheeky about this, of that you can be sure.
18 Oct 2012, 16:18 pm
@Transformation-19:
How can you be missing the point so badly here?
If the Sharks or Bulls etc fielded an all white side you and your fellow yoof leagers would be screaming bloody murder.
I dont want to ever hear you or your league mates complaining about an SA side being too white.
Because you have just set the precedent with your ignorant comments here.
What was it you said to me the other day…’transformation is the responsibility of all the SA franchises..’ or something to that effect.
But you’re perfectly happy to turn a blind eye in this case? Why am I not surprised.
18 Oct 2012, 16:19 pm
@katman-17: What do you expect them to do? They’ve been given ONE year!
You’re just being incredibly short-sighted and you would not be this involved if you didn’t support the Lions.
The fact is that to unearth the Black talent in the Eastern Cape, a viable and successful franchise there is required. The Lions have had their chance, I’m so tired of watching Lions teams going on tour and handing out five points to teams like the Force and then coming back and playing like they’re possessed against SA teams (fair enough that’s a separate matter).
A viable EP region WILL improve Transformation and even if it doesn’t, will likely in 3 years be producing faaaar superior results than the Lions considering that their management are clearly far more professional and they will be able to retain the horde of EP talent that gets produced (Cue Transie with a list of EP players playing elsewhere.)
Ag Katman as far as I’ve gathered you live in Cape Town, come stand with me at Newlands and cheer a real team
We’ll adopt you no problem!
18 Oct 2012, 16:23 pm
for me, i just want the best team on the day to win.
no all black type referee kak.
18 Oct 2012, 16:25 pm
@katman-20: sunday english? pffftt
gaan aan
18 Oct 2012, 16:26 pm
if they deserve to go up they will and the same for the cheetahs.
in some ways, for them to win, it’s really about pride and proving something to themselves and the rest of sa rugby. whether they’re in the premiere div or not will have no bearing on their bigger picture.
18 Oct 2012, 16:26 pm
@John Galt-21: now i’m a “yoff leaguer” now what are you?
18 Oct 2012, 16:28 pm
@John Galt-21: you are such a lackey?
why is marcelo sampson a starter, out?
18 Oct 2012, 16:31 pm
‘sunday english’
18 Oct 2012, 16:33 pm
i would love to see rhule against perez
18 Oct 2012, 16:34 pm
@John Galt-21: i dare katman on minday to produce one post where i complained that any SA team is fielding no black players?
transformation IS the responsibility of EVERY union in SA, indeed!
is taking michael killian off and inserting norman nelson who has had a bad patch of form the best thing for the team? NO
should it be done to appease the likes of you? NO
if Nelson was in better form than Killian and was benched, i would complain!
if Meyer played Hougaard over JPP i would complain.
the best player for the Kings is playing, not the blackest!
18 Oct 2012, 16:37 pm
@Transformation-30: i dared…
18 Oct 2012, 16:39 pm
Let me repeat something that appears to have been lost amongst all the obfuscating, deflection, counter-accusation and apparent separation from what is generally known as reality on this thread.
NOT
ONE
BLACK
PLAYER
IN
THE
STARTING
15.
Wait till Julius finds out. He’ll make the Nelson Mandela Metro unfukkengovernable.
18 Oct 2012, 16:42 pm
@Transformation-30: Ha ha ha, how quickly you have become Tacitus. This is the most amusing thread to study from a socio-anthropological perspective.
18 Oct 2012, 16:47 pm
@katman-33: Now that is hypocritical!
You used to inspire me when I was a wee lad taking on Tac big time and all his Blue bullies, but alas, you’ve become more and more conservative like Tac, a growing sense of self-gravitas and dare I say it? have become less funny (barring when you klap skop)… Perhaps that’s what happens when you become a parent?
Fortunately Gunther has stepped up big time and the blog has been graced by Transie the unrilable champion of Google!
18 Oct 2012, 16:50 pm
@katman-33: keep laughing, just bring the evidence before making allegations
18 Oct 2012, 16:53 pm
@Bagel-34: Come on, Bagel, put aside the knee-jerk defense for a moment and comment on the facts here. The Kings – the poster child of rugby transformation – select not one starting black player for what is arguably their biggest game of the year. Of course that’s outrageous. Pretending it isn’t is just puerile churlishness, to quote someone.
18 Oct 2012, 16:55 pm
Hmmmmmmmmm
An All White Kings team – now that is news,
From now on they will be called the All Whites – AW for short and if you want to call them the AWB that is fine – AW and B for one black wife beating winger.
18 Oct 2012, 16:58 pm
@katman-33: not as amusing as your recent conversion to being a “bean-counting” champion.
how many black players are in the Lions run-on 15?
18 Oct 2012, 16:59 pm
@RL-37: I prefer the White Elephants.
18 Oct 2012, 16:59 pm
@katman-36: “the poster child of rugby transformation”
only in your bitter mind
18 Oct 2012, 17:00 pm
@Transformation-38: One more than the Kings. And we’re not even in the special Transformation parking bay.
18 Oct 2012, 17:13 pm
@katman-41: you’ve got SOWETO right up your noses but nothing going on there in terms of development, how many blacks in your u21 side?
18 Oct 2012, 17:19 pm
@Transformation-42: This is not about the Lions, remember. This is about the Kings who despite their inclusion into SR on the transformation ticket, have managed to select an all white starting team for Friday. I know you’d like to steer this debate towards the Lions’ team selection or finances or Soweto or junior sides or whatever, but that’s just a cheap tactic called deflection.
Deal with the uncomfortable white elephant in the room, please. How will those 14 whiteys and a Samoan a.) transform rugby in SA and b.) inspire a generation of black kids with heroes that look like them?
18 Oct 2012, 17:25 pm
@katman-43: this is where you are WRONG!
“I don’t think we as South African rugby would ever attach conditions to them that are not attached to the other franchises, that would be grossly unfair.
“We are not going to say that they are going to have x number of black players
more than any other franchise”
Regan here was responding to a bitterbek bean counter like yourself, now read again and weep
18 Oct 2012, 17:31 pm
Ai tog
18 Oct 2012, 17:35 pm
@katman-43: “This is about the Kings who despite their inclusion into SR on the transformation ticket”
WRONG again, we are in Super rugby because as the 6th franchise we take the place of the team that finished LAST – Lions.
18 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm
@katman-43: “How will those 14 whiteys and a Samoan a.) transform rugby in SA and b.) inspire a generation of black kids with heroes that look like them?”
they don’t need to be “inspired” to play rugby, they have a CENTURY’s worth of rugby pedigree for inspiration!
there you are “elephant” culled.
gym calls.
18 Oct 2012, 17:58 pm
go Kings!!!
18 Oct 2012, 18:00 pm
@Transformation-47: While it certainly may help it is extreme ignorance to think and say that Black Kids need to inspired by “Black players”. Pisses me off no end.
I’m as white as they come and Breyton Paulse was my favourite childhood player by far!
What black kids need in the Eastern Cape is a SUCCESSFUL and ACCESSIBLE franchise that they can one day represent.
18 Oct 2012, 18:04 pm
@grant10-48: And keep going….
@Bagel-49: EP rugby has never been successful.
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