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.
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327 Comments
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18 Oct 2012, 10:09 am
My prediction is they will win against the Force in the first week, because of all the hype and then they will get one point on tour. one point at home against the Cheetahs and one bonus point elsewhere.
That gives them 15 points in total. The Cheetahs scored 40 points last year and 38 this year. Let us say they play below par and only score half of their points (excl bye points), then they will get 23 points. This is a highly unlikely scenario as the only games the Lions won were against the Cheetahs.
Then we take into account that the Cheetahs will play all of the worse NZ and Aus teams and the Rebels will miss out on playing the Blues and will therefore play against all of the better NZ teams.
18 Oct 2012, 10:12 am
@katman-66:
Well that right there is exactly it.
Was chatting to mates who went to Grey PE and St Andrews etc, guys who played for EP and Border etc Rugby at school boy level and even they were growing resentful at how this whole thing has panned out.
I remember being at Varsity with them years ago and they used to wax lyrical about the good ol’ days at Boet Erasmus and some of the legends that played there. In the past I would have been happy to include the EP region in SA rugby.
But not like this. All this does is fuel the resentment.
@XhosaKid-63:
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.
But the way this whole saga has been handled, I cant help but feel a certain morbid hope to see them fail. And its got nothing to do with the region itself or the players. But everything to do with the Kings and SARU administrators who got us into this mess in the first place.
18 Oct 2012, 10:13 am
@katman-95: KAtman, you must be absolutely torn apart and heart wrenched that Poodlefekker does not feel sorry for you
18 Oct 2012, 10:15 am
@wnbb-76:
It is incredibly frustrating when a player shows his worth and proves to be so valuable ala Deon Fourie and Francois Louw and then goes and signs overseas.
I know there are a lot of factors involved in making such a decision and I don’t begrudge the player these choices. It is the player’s career after all and I would hate for someone else to make choices for me.
But WP/Stormers are a weaker team without Deon Fourie and Francois Louw there.
18 Oct 2012, 10:16 am
Somehow I don’t think that we will be seeing the last of the Kings regardless of what transpires towards the end of next year’s season.
SARU have a significant ownership stake in the Kings so their agenda will be promoted, under some guise.
18 Oct 2012, 10:17 am
Imagine if Deon Fourie stays and Francois Louw returns.
1. Kitshoff 2. Liebenberg 3. Malherbe 4. Etzebeth 5. Bekker 6. Burger 7. Louw 8. Vermeulen 9. Groom 10. Jantjies 11. Habana 12. De Villiers 13. De Jongh 14. Aplon 15. Taute
16. Fourie 17. Cilliers 18. Elstadt 19. Kolisi 20. Schreuder 21. Grant 22. Brache
18 Oct 2012, 10:18 am
@puff-106: Imagineif my aunty had balls she would been my uncle
18 Oct 2012, 10:19 am
@puff-104: tell me about it!!!
18 Oct 2012, 10:19 am
@Joe Maher-97: Come on joe,you are better than that and mentally challenged lions fans like Katman etc etc.We all know that the ME name referred to EP.Mediocre might have been,but the lions perfected it and claimed sole copyright of it.
18 Oct 2012, 10:20 am
@John Galt-102: How did the Kings contribute to this ‘mess’? Is it not they who have been shafted over the years? Promises made, promises broken, etc etc etc?
Now that they finally have an executive with the balls and the desire to ACTUALLY revive rugby in the EC – they are the bad guys?
I think a few citizens need to take a step back, and start looking at the facts, the lies, the promises, the backpeddling and the sort over the last years – all those actions which kept the EP under the heel of SARU.
There are NO innocents in this mess my friend. But there are a few within SARU and the Lions franchise, who carry more guilt than others. It is they who should be the subject of your “morbid hope to see them fail”; NOT the EP Kings.
18 Oct 2012, 10:20 am
The Kings need to get into the Currie Cup and stay there to be competitive in Super Rugby. They will be relegated next year and only be allowed back when the competition expands in 2016.
18 Oct 2012, 10:20 am
@stormersboy-105: Yep, they have a specially designed set of goalposts on castors for this one.
I posted this suggestion for a keo poll on an earlier thread:
What will be the outcome of the promotion/relegation match between the Cheetahs and the Kings?
a.) Cheetahs will win and remain in the Premier Division
b.) Kings will win and replace the Cheetahs
c.) Cheetahs will win and Cheeky will successfully appeal for a rematch
d.) Cheetahs will win but SARU will decide to accommodate the Kings anyway
18 Oct 2012, 10:21 am
Farkit….
Got to support the Bulls the weekend….but want Lambie to show M Steyn the true value of a flat laying 10….
Catch 22 …
18 Oct 2012, 10:21 am
@stormersboy-105:
they are unbelievably compromised.
If this ends up in court they are going to end up looking like a shaved poodle.
18 Oct 2012, 10:22 am
@wnbb-109: Well, judging by a.) their usefulness to SA Rugby and b.) their current racial make-up they’d be better off being called the White Elephants.
18 Oct 2012, 10:23 am
Have the Kings tried to contract Ismaeel Dollie yet?
18 Oct 2012, 10:24 am
@wnbb-109:
You’re clearly delusional, mate. For all Transvaal/Lions woes, our rugby heritage is rich and very, very successful when compared with the basketcase mob in PE.
Facts and history do not lie, even to ingrained propagandists and apologists.
But hey, whatever gets you through the night…
18 Oct 2012, 10:24 am
I wonder whether the hatred for the Kings would still be so intense if Cheeky and Luke were not there?
18 Oct 2012, 10:24 am
@puff-104: When did he make the decision to move overseas? Before they made him captain?
WP have actually invested alot in him this year. He started many games and became the first choice hooker, then they gave him the captaincy.
Pity that he is coming into his own and becoming invaluable right when he decides to leave.
18 Oct 2012, 10:24 am
@puff-104: Agree with you.Sad to see Fourie go.Just hoping that Flo will come back sooner rather than later.I know that he will never sign for any other province than WP
18 Oct 2012, 10:25 am
To all the Kings haters out there! The Kings are here to stay, they’ll be playing SR next year. No amount of b.itching will change that fact…
18 Oct 2012, 10:26 am
@WP_-116: bwaahhahahahah
18 Oct 2012, 10:27 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-110:
Yes Pedigree…
Keep telling yourself that Cheeky and his band of ‘connected’ comrades didnt put any political pressure on the likes of a very weak Oregan Hoskins who, lets all admit, is the comander in chief of this balls up.
Pressure was applied by Cheeky etc and promises were made Hoskins who had no hope in delivering these promises.
Naivety at its very best Pedders.
18 Oct 2012, 10:27 am
@mxhosa-121: And the year after that?
18 Oct 2012, 10:28 am
@katman-66: you didn’t b.itch when you Lions were given a “political leg up” from 2006 to 2012, now did you?
who “loathed” your team then?
The Lions have routinely delivered poor performances in Super Rugby, but Loffie Eloff insisted that the Spears decision would not place them under any further pressure to prove that they could compete with the best teams in the southern hemisphere.
“We don’t have to justify anything to anyone,” he snapped. “We will go out and play our game and try to wave the flag for South Africa.”
18 Oct 2012, 10:29 am
@wnbb-120: because his grandaddy’s name is etched into one of the stands?
He has a chance now to cement his place in the Bok squad, he just needs to return home.
Imagine
6. Kolisi
7. Flo
8. Vermeulen
18 Oct 2012, 10:29 am
Is there a thread on the sa rugby players of the year nominations?
What an absolute joke?
Lambie ahead of Goosen? Lambie did not have a good year. He was injured in the super 15 and then returned for the final where he was the Sharks worst player. Then he sat on the bench.
Goosen on the other hand was in pole position in all departments before he got injured in the super 15. He had a much better early super 15 than Lambie.
Kolisi ahead of Coetzee. They are at the same age. They had similar super 15 seasons. Both very good. Kolisi got injured and Coetzee made the step up to the Springboks and did a very good job against England and thereafter he was good, but not as good as Louw.
Adriaan Strauss for example was extremely good in the super 15 season and had a good season with the Boks. It seems it is better to be on the bench or injured than to actually have played for the Boks.
18 Oct 2012, 10:29 am
@grant10-118: Don’t go there Gman!!….the hawks are circling ,ready to pounce.
18 Oct 2012, 10:30 am
@grant10-118:
Not at all.
18 Oct 2012, 10:30 am
So a kings thread means 1000 HIts for the day????
18 Oct 2012, 10:33 am
@John Galt-123: Don’t disrespect Oregan!He is a good KZN lad.
18 Oct 2012, 10:34 am
First reaction was: “how much SARU” paid for that tendentious, pathetic thread”?
But they did not, must have got it for free considering the Keos have been running that incredible promotion campaign for the Kings for 2 years now.
When you control the referees’ handling matches everything domestically is inconsequential and meaningless
Ask the Bookies
18 Oct 2012, 10:35 am
Something for you Saffers to grate your teeth on
RICHIE McCAW the greatest player of all time, read it on the ROAR
Champion All Blanks flanker and captain Richie McCaw might just be the greatest rugby player in history.
McCaw recently played in his 100th test win. Yes, that’s right – 100th test win. That’s not 100th test appearance, but 100th test win.
To provide the literary equivalent of a pause while readers pondered this would require me to leave at least half a page blank. But of course that’s impractical. But consider this briefly, all the same.
McCaw, quite incredibly, has achieved his 100 test wins out of an overall 112 tests played. That’s a winning ratio percentage (WRP) of a staggering 89.28%. In other words, he has been on the winning side in 9 out of every 10 tests he has played. Nine out of EVERY 10 tests.
To put this in context, the Wallabies won 9 out of 10 tests in 1991 on their way to winning the World Cup. But they haven’t been able to do this consistently year-in and year-out. McCaw has.
There are only 21 players throughout the history of the game who have reached the coveted 100 test appearances, with fellow All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu set to join this august group against the Wallabies in Brisbane this Saturday as the 22nd centurion.
Of these players, the next most wins is by George Gregan with 93 out of 139 tests played (67.62% WRP), followed by Jason Leonard (89 out of 119, 75.63% WRP).
Since McCaw intends to continue playing until the 2015 World Cup, injuries permitting, he is likely to set a record for most winning tests that will stand for a very long time.
Whoever eventually beats his record, if ever, will most definitely be very, very tired! To put McCaw’s WRP in ever-more perspective, the next best WRP among the centurions is Mils Muliana with 84% in an even 100 tests. However, Mealamu’s current WRP is 85.85%.
Of all the players who have appeared in over 50 test matches, only one player has a superior WRP, and only just. That man is yet another All Black – centre Conrad Smith – with 56 wins from 62 tests and a WRP of 90.32%.
If there’s any doubt that NZ is consistently the best rugby team on the planet, then these stats certainly bear that out.
Richie McCaw is no saint and I like that about him. I like my heroes to be flawed diamonds, humans, just like the rest of us.
Even so, McCaw appears to be not only respected by his peers, but liked as well. While it seems he is also revered by the younger generation, as it should be. McCaw is the kind of guy you would like to have as a mate. At least that’s the perception.
McCaw has been given a great back-handed compliment by Aussie rugby fans who have labelled him a serial cheat.
There is a humorous irony in this, as any flanker worth his salt, especially an open-side flanker, must be willing to play on the edge of the law. It comes with the territory. If you’re not willing to play on the edge and occasionally over the edge, then find a less contentious position to play, like er, winger.
Some things are in the DNA of every position. Scrumhalfs yap incessantly, wingers can’t catch, props don’t have necks and flankers cheat. That’s the way it is!
For a long time I was unwilling to concede that McCaw was a superior player to the superbly athletic Michael Jones, but McCaw eventually wore me down, in the same way he wears down opposition flankers, flyhalfs and the referees as well! While I think Jones remains the most perfect rugby athlete I’ve seen, McCaw is probably the best-ever rugby player of all time.
Richard Hugh McCaw was born on the last day of 1980 (which the superstitious claim is a good omen). He came from a family steeped in distinction. His grandfather was a fighter pilot during WW2, credited with shooting down 20 V I missile rockets in the last year of the war. McCaw developed a love of flying from his grandfather and is a qualified pilot.
McCaw made his test debut late in 2001 against Ireland. He was embroiled in controversy early in his career when he wrestled a South African spectator, who had come onto the pitch in Durban to harass Irish ref David McHugh, to the ground in 2002.
As mentioned earlier, McCaw is far from perfect. His captaincy during the World Cup quarter-final against France in 2007 was a low point, when he along with his team mates, appeared to be bereft of ideas and they subsequently lost.
But he has learnt from his mistakes to become a clever and inspirational leader. During the 2011 World Cup tournament, won by the All Blacks, McCaw inspired his team mates and the nation, playing on virtually one leg after suffering a debilitating ankle injury.
I have been following rugby for about 45 years. Richie McCaw is the best open-side flanker I’ve seen in that time, while his phenomenal win-loss record alone suggests he might also be the best player in any position in history.
As for best captain, I will reserve judgement for the time being. But it’s fair to say he’s up there among the best leaders.
18 Oct 2012, 10:36 am
@Horings-127: Now,did you have to go and do that??…especially with Lambie’s Daddy-cool around at the moment.
18 Oct 2012, 10:40 am
@Black Power-133: He is the best I have ever seen. Especially at manipulating the refs (not saying this in a bad way), but that is his job.
BUT will you agree that he is at the end of his career and it will be very difficult to replace him and Carter. The All Blacks will always be 1 or 2 in the world, but the chances are they will be 2 sometime in the next couple of years. This will happen when one of their opposing teams actually build a golden era for themselves.
18 Oct 2012, 10:41 am
@wnbb-134: Hehe. perfect timing I’ll say.
18 Oct 2012, 10:42 am
@John Galt-102: misguided fools they are – your mates that is…
how is this the Kings fault?
- they were excluded from playing Currie Cup in 2005
- SARU bought Spears shares to kill off the LEGALLY-binding contract to allow the Spears to play Super rugby in 2006
- excluded from playing Super Rugby in 2006, 2007
- SARU never spent a CENT on the Spears since 2006 to 2009 when Anele Pamba and Cheeky Watson took over at EP, re-branded the Spears as the Kings and started asking questions.
- from 2009 up until 2012 SARU was playing hide and seek with the Kings, not dealing with the issue AT ALL!
i ask again, how is this the Kings fault?
18 Oct 2012, 10:44 am
@Black Power-133: it must really grate, when we’re not concerned about you lot in our conversations that you have to insert yourself so blatantly?
18 Oct 2012, 10:45 am
@Transformation-125: I don’t think you understand what the term leg-up means. The Lions were in the competition all along. They didn’t need a leg-up anywhere. The Kings were ushered into the competition at the Lions’ expense (despite assurances that this wouldn’t happen) simply because it would look good for our World Cup bid. It was a political move, and a bunch of connected suckerfish have been jostling for prime position ever since.
All that rubbish about unearthing black talent and inspiring rural youngsters to take up the game is all just election-type spin. I mean, for large parts of their CC First Division campaigns of recent years, both the Elephants and the Bulldogs teams had substantial black representation, and everyone nodded and stroked their chins and said: see what can happen if we give them a chance. But towards the business end of the competition that really counts (i.e. to put them in pole position for next year’s Premier Division), they field a team that has less black players than any other SA Union.
Why? We’re told Cheeky and Solomons are men committed to the cause, as opposed to those old school coaches like Loffie and Naka who only trust their own when their ***** are on the block. But now we see they’re no different.
So it was a political leg-up, and THAT’s why people resent them so much. People are sick to death of a culture of entitlement in this country. SO, sad is it may be for what is undoubtedly a team of fantastic blokes, people will be willing them to fail. And they will fail.
18 Oct 2012, 10:46 am
@Black Power-133: It is actually astonishing that the Boks had one of their best eras while McCaw played. He had a sequence of 3 losses against the Boks.
He has won 16 out of 2
18 Oct 2012, 10:46 am
@Sasuke-126: That helps.
That would be a brilliant combination.Good back up would make it even perfect.With Carr and Elstadt around as well we might just be heading to glory land more often than not. 
18 Oct 2012, 10:48 am
Cobus Reinach awarded Absa Player Of The Month for October. http://instagr.am/p/Q6sVmcueA4/ > deservedly so!!
18 Oct 2012, 10:48 am
@Transformation-138:
Not as much as it grates you. With out us you wouldn’t have a decent blog
18 Oct 2012, 10:49 am
Wanted to say
He won 16 out of 21 against SA and 84 out of 91 against other teams. This encludes a 2003 semi final loss against Aus and a 2007 QF loss against France.
This leaves him with only 5 losses in his career form regular season games that does not include SA. Probably a couple against Eng and a couple against Aus.
18 Oct 2012, 10:49 am
@Transformation-137:
What Katman said. Post 139.
I cant explain it better or in any other way.
18 Oct 2012, 10:49 am
@Horings-140:
How many losses have you had since?
18 Oct 2012, 10:50 am
@sharks_lover-142: Very good player. Quickly explain to me how Lambie deserves to be one of the 10 nominated players for player of the year?
18 Oct 2012, 10:50 am
@John Galt-123: But the Kings promises started when Cheeky had fuckall to do with EP rugby? Back in that Tony fella’s day?
Why is it everyone jumps straight onto the Cheeky wagon. I’m asking people to step back from the present – and take a look at the timeline going way back to a time when Cheeky was eating out in CT most evenings.
Take him OUT of the equation. The Kings saga did not suddenly begin the day Cheeky Watson pulled into PE….
18 Oct 2012, 10:53 am
@Black Power-146: Did he play in PE last year, because we won in 2004, 2005 and 2006, 2008, 3 times in 2009 and in 2011. He did not play in 3 of these games if we won 5 out of 21 he played in.
18 Oct 2012, 10:53 am
@katman-139: Now give us an essay on the virtue of keeping incompetent people in jobs and positions.Go for it Katters.Can’t wait-should be interesting.
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