Kings on the rise
18 Oct 2012
GARETH DUNCAN says the Kings should become a stronger entity than the Cheetahs, no matter what happens in the upcoming Currie Cup promotion-relegation play-offs.
The Free State Cheetahs are expected to beat the EP Kings in the Currie Cup promotion-relegation battle over the next fortnight.
Despite the Kings’ unbeaten run to the First Division title and the Cheetahs’ current injury crisis (a loss of 13 first-choice players, including flyhalf Johan Goosen, flank Heinrich Brussow and prop Coenie Oosthuizen), the Bloemfontein union is still considered favourites as they boast more players with experience of playing at higher levels.
I think the Kings will provide a challenge against a weakened Free State outfit. But I admit that domestic promotion would be a surprise, especially when you consider the fact that the current Kings side isn’t much stronger than the team that lost to the Pumas in the 2010 play-offs.
But look beyond this result and you’ll notice that the Southern Kings are making progress; to the extent where they are likely to become a more competitive team than the Cheetahs as soon as next season.
While the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls will be Super Rugby title contenders in 2013, the Cheetahs and Kings will battle in the wooden spoon race.
It’s something both franchises will want to avoid as the last-placed team is expected to face the Lions in the first South African Super Rugby promotion-relegation play-offs. I say expected because this format could still change if voted against at the next Saru Exco meeting; but that’s another story.
Many pundits expect the Kings to struggle because of the trend set by other tournament debutants. The Western Force and Melbourne Rebels have both finished last in their first campaigns in 2006 and 2011 respectively.
However, both Australian teams struggled because they were established from scratch. The Kings have a platform to work from in the EP Kings, Border and SWD.
They have a quality mentor in director of rugby Alan Solomons. He’s clearly had a positive effect on the EP Kings, who have only lost 10 out of 57 games in all domestic competitions since his arrival in June 2010. That’s a winning percentage of 82.4%.
The Kings team that will play in Super Rugby will also be much stronger than the side that has featured on the domestic scene over the last two seasons. They have signed the likes of centre Andries Strauss, lock Steven Sykes, flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis and hooker Bandise Maku, and have four internationals in wing Paul Perez, prop Clint Newland, scrumhalf Nicolas Vergallo and utility back Hadleigh Parkes. More reinforcements will arrive during the build-up to the 2013 campaign.
The only complication is that the Kings will only be allowed two of those foreigners in their final squad that they declare to Saru. The other two will be allowed in the wider squads and will be able to be called up in case of injury. There’s also a chance that Saru might accommodate the Kings, who are still requesting that the restrictions be lifted.
The Cheetahs haven’t impressed in Super Rugby since their readmission in 2006. They have won 27 out of 84 games (a winning percentage of just 32%) during this period and their highest finish has been 10th place.
They have lost key players since this year’s Super Rugby campaign in No 8 Ashley Johnson (London Wasps, England), prop WP Nel (Edinburgh, Scotland) and lock George Earle (Scarlets, Wales). The departures of flyhalf Sias Ebersohn (Western Force), lock Izak van der Westhuizen (Edinbugh), prop Marcel van der Merwe (Bulls) and Strauss at the end of the year will also cost the squad depth.
In reply, the Cheetahs have only signed on props Caylib Oosthuizen (Lions) and Rossouw de Klerk (Bulls), centre Johann Sadie (Bulls) and flyhalf Elgar Watts (Boland). Griquas will provide some depth, but the Cheetahs won’t be able to afford injuries to key players.
If you look a bit deeper, you’d see the Free State and EP junior teams are also experiencing contrasting fortunes.
This season, the Free State U21s only won four out 12 league games. Their U19s only won three of their 12 fixtures.
The EP U21s and U19s topped their respective logs in the B Divisions, with the former team securing the provincial title. They will compete for promotion to the A Division.
Transformation is also evident in EP’s junior teams, which bodes well for the future. The Southern Kings will also be able to tap into the top black talent in SWD and Border’s junior structures. However, Super Rugby participation will be vital in retaining these young players.
While many in the South African rugby fraternity are worried about the Lions, it looks like the Cheetahs are also struggling. And at all levels too.
These are still early days, but a power change has already begun by the looks of it. The Kings are on the rise, while the Cheetahs are headed in another direction.
Follow Gareth on Twitter
Follow SA Rugby magazine on Twitter
327 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
18 Oct 2012, 14:43 pm
@Puma-299:
We lost this fixture last year to the Lions.
If these guys choke again I’m supporting the Kings.
18 Oct 2012, 14:55 pm
@sharks_lover-291: You’ve got a very short memory. What about Willem Albert’s blatant knock-on which he scored off in last year’s CC Final?
Lions almost didn’t come back from that blatant booboo by ML.
18 Oct 2012, 14:56 pm
@Jeraldjay-301: hahahaha. Last year was different though. Think our Boks back in our team was really not motivated to play a CC semi or final. They still wanted to be in NZ playing the semi and final there.
18 Oct 2012, 15:06 pm
@Horings-280: schoeman is a penalty machine chap, quite dom too…
18 Oct 2012, 16:59 pm
I dig this Blitzbok
Vloeks everyone’s moer five times then fecks off!
Assassin!
18 Oct 2012, 20:30 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-302: Nope nothing wrong with my memory, I have never said Sharks have not gained from Ref mistakes, But a fact is the amounts of times the Sharks have gotten the wrong end of the stick from ML is pretty well documented, If you want the Lion s won a CC against the Sharks where ref Watson nailed the Sharks, **** happens, Difference is Watson did not always nail the Sharks or another team.
18 Oct 2012, 20:32 pm
Zeish people need to get over this whole Kings hate, all ur doing is giving Keo hits :lol;
I mean Keo has been quiet, till till his journo’s flood the blog with Kings articles LOL
18 Oct 2012, 21:15 pm
“Look Xhosa, im not against EP Rugby. In fact, due to some of my closer mates, Ive always had a soft spot for the region and its rugby history.”
some of my best friends are EP supporters
18 Oct 2012, 22:11 pm
@wnbb-109: Wnbb, nice insults you are throwing around and it shows the character of the region you support.
I have just a question concerning the Kings, What have they done the [ast decade to elevate themselfs past the B section of the CC?.
Even with SARU being their partner in the region they could not make the Premier division, so they demanded their inclusion into Super rugby.
You and the pro kings ca,p are throwing stones constantly at the LIONS poor record, well I am sure the kings have a better record than the LIONS in the Currie Cup.
Next we look at your Varsity cup record, in which leaque did NMMU play in and how many times did they even contest a semi in the competition? not many if any.
Sure ther are very talented players coming out of the region, but they want to play and ply their trade elsewhere.
Its funny how you breakdown the Gauteng area to justify your view points, but forget that the structures will be damaged with this decision that was made. So I guess to satisfy the needs of a region that cannot even improve without the help of politics and SARU, we kill off a 120 year old union for the selfish demands of another.
This my dear dillusional comrade is why most people dislike the kings.
18 Oct 2012, 22:16 pm
@Jeraldjay-242: wrong Joel..
otherwise known as Ahab the Arab .. or for less principled reasons Aha-saith-Zarathustra
18 Oct 2012, 22:56 pm
Sorry Bulls supporters, Spies is staying…….pleeeeeeeeeeez Meyer do not include him in the Bok team ever again cos then I will not be able to keep my word to myself and be supportive of you for a year no matter the results.
I wIll then have to acknowledge that to get this team up to scratch is not a work in process or progress
19 Oct 2012, 05:56 am
@Transformation-169:
Wow, now that’s some ****** impressive CV, Transie. Fully deserving of a tilt at the Crusaders and co.
19 Oct 2012, 06:23 am
What a load of toss this article is. The Kings will, despite all the unprecedented assistance fail dismally at the expense of rugby. We already know that the blood sucking leeches have attached themselves to the kings band wagon. The kings will go the way of SAA and Eskom and the taxpaying rugby fan will be footing the bill. Graeme Joffe obviously got it right and now the writers are being asked to justify the Kings inclusion.
Classic case of pigs in the trough. This site is becoming a joke filled with hidden agendas and quasi experts who have nothing better to do than try and convince each other that they know far more than they actually do.
19 Oct 2012, 07:11 am
@sharks_lover-306: No problem, as long as you realise that ALL TEAMS get good and bad decisions made against them. Nothing you can do about that, you have to take the good with the bad.
Having said that, if I was a betting man I’d be prepared to put money down that in major games reffed by the (in)famous Andre Watson, Transvaal/Lions lost a great deal more times than they won…
19 Oct 2012, 09:39 am
@DEE DAH-313: You did NOT@BrumbiesBoy-314: mention Graham Joffe on this site?????
You will get banned for life!
19 Oct 2012, 09:40 am
@Blue Label-315: Sorry… Finger slipped there, and please no “Thats what she said” jokes.
Hehehe
19 Oct 2012, 09:57 am
@Puma-299: No Puma,the Bulls HAVE to beat the Sharks first before we can think of a Newlands final.We play second on Saturday ….and that dream might come crashing down on us….or not.
19 Oct 2012, 11:49 am
The Kinks are **** and will never be chocolate mousse, no matter how it is served up.
19 Oct 2012, 11:50 am
kayrap
19 Oct 2012, 12:37 pm
@Joe Maher-312: inane sarcasm won’t change anything…i recall the Rebels and the Force didn’t even have structures before being allowed to play Super rugby…
19 Oct 2012, 15:55 pm
In the words of Fatboy Slim (or some bloke he sampled):
Drop the hate
Forgive each other
19 Oct 2012, 19:09 pm
As Luke Watson’s manager/agent, Keohane has consistently pushed the Kings agenda in the media at the expense of the Lions and it is some of his very biased, unobjective, unethical blogs that have helped create this storm between the Kings and Lions. The Kings inclusion in Super Rugby would not only be of financial benefit to Keohane, but also to the company he recently “resigned” from. HSM have been courting the Kings for the publishing rights to their monthly magazine and game day programmes.
But Mr Roux I’m glad to hear that there was “no government intervention” in the Kings decision (wink wink). It was in fact your only smart answer as you know the IRB doesn’t take kindly to government intervention.
Finally to say, “the Unions (SARU) are now responsible for identifying SARU’s entrants in Vodacom Super Rugby. Participation in 2014 and 2015 is their call, as it was for 2013” is another cheap shot at the Lions to allow SARU to move the goalposts again, should the Kings finish in the relegation playoff spot.
My suggestion is that SARU should call time out and take a good look at themselves in the mirror!
Email Graeme at: graeme@butterbean.co.za
20 Oct 2012, 09:09 am
@Predawn; you make some good points but the Kings debacle is not only to the Lions detriment; it’s to the detriment of SA rugby. The Lions weren’t poster children for SA rugby and SARU should have applied some guidance. Imported players, over paid players and coaches, non-agents (keow) etc. SARU does not have SA rugby’s interests at heart. They are self-interested, along with a lot of people in SA rugby.
20 Oct 2012, 10:28 am
@husky-323: There are elements in every Union with agendas as you mention. In only a few are they not running things.
Their time is coming though, SA rugby is going to get worse before it gets better.
20 Oct 2012, 10:32 am
Nonsense article. There was one black face in the entire team last night for the Kingspears.
20 Oct 2012, 11:04 am
My prediction for today…. There will be a few sad supporters…..
20 Oct 2012, 11:14 am
Alan Solomons should be with the Boks management………..not the Kings
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.