Great post

SOUTHERN KINGS – 2013 SUPER XV SQUAD

1st XV:
15. SP Marais
14. Norman Nelson
13. Waylon Murray
12. Andries Strauss
11. Marcello Sampson
10. Demetri Catrakilis
9. Nicolas Vergallo (Arg.)
8. Luke Watson
7. Tomas Leonardi (Arg.)
6. Cornel du Preez
5. David Bulbring
4. Steven Sykes
3. Ross Geldenhuys
2. Bandise Maku
1. Schalk Ferreira

**

Replacements:
16. Lizo Nqoboka
17. Edgar Marutlulle
18. Charl du Plessis
19. Darron Nel
20. Shaun Venter
21. Burton Francis
22. Tiger Mangweni

**

Balance of Squad:
23. Hannes Franklin
24. Jaco Engels
25. Reynier Bernardo
26. Devin Oosthuisen
27. Mpho Mbiyiso
28. Scott Mathie
29. George Whitehead
30. Hadleigh Parkes (NZ)
31. Ronnie Cooke
32. Michael Killian

**

This (assumed) squad has only one player from SWD, Burton Francis, & none from the Border. There is nothing sinister about that, given the recent relative performance of the feeder Unions constituting the Southern Kings.

What one can be sure of is that the Southern Kings run-on XV will differ greatly from the run-on XVs in both the recent Currie Cup promotion/relegation playoff mathes – so don’t let the Currie Cup playoffs cloud your perception, or be a source of schadenfreude.

Notwithstanding, The Kings will likely be involved in an almighty battle with the Force, Rebels, Blues & Cheetahs in order to avoid the Super XV wooden spoon. Super XV history suggests they may very well end up the wooden spoonists, (but they may conceivably, though not realistically, avoid that fate, & THAT will in itself be a victory). Fact is, whether they end up 13th, 14th or last on the Super XV log, it is difficult to see them avoiding ending up wooden spoonists in the South African Conference, with the result that they will probably be involved in two Super XV promotion/relegation mathces vs The Lions. This brace of contests will be their real contest of 2013. They are NOT automatic losers of that contest. The Lions will be a greatly weakened franchise come the playoffs, & their returning loan players’ hearts & loyalties may very well lie elsewhere… The Kings prospects of winning the playoffs depend on what they learn & internalise from their Super XV experience, & the extent to which this collection of mostly veteran, or unwanted or fringe players can be revitalised & gel into a Band of Merry Men prepared to fight for one another & a greater cause. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that the Southern Kings may become the new Brumbies.

I think Cheeky Watson, the Southern Kings franchise & their coaching/leadership staff are going about it the right way: They have been guaranteed one year only! From their perspective they have no choice but to think short term (at this stage). From their perspective they simply have to recruit the best staff & best players they possibly can, & be the best they can in 2013, which implies avoiding the 2013 Super XV promotion/relegation playoffs, alternatively being successful in those playoffs. Without that it is impossible for them to give fruition to their stated aims of developing, retaining & fast tracking the rugby talent, especially the largely untapped black talent, that exists in the Southern- & Eastern Cape & Border regions.

I wish them well – this is exciting & for the good of SA Rugby, & in doing so I do not wish The Lions ill – 2013 will ensure this: the most deserving franchise (of the 2 contesting the playoffs) would have earned the right to participate in the 2014 Super XV, & in the process it will probably have banished complacency from SA Rugby.

Is Burton Frances is not playing for SWD?

They are recruiting a lot of loan players from the Leopards and some others smaller unions and getting players like Odongo the big Kenyan former Bulls loose forward and also Burton Francis.

still unclear why he left wp, guess they had alot of solid youngsters coming through

Well, I guess every new head coach would like to shape his own coaching team.

Besides, I guess Saffa rugby franchises can all learn a thing or two from Kiwi coaches about backline play … view it as an investment in the future.

Maidza is backline coach of the EP Kings Vodacom Cup squad.

We don’t need “Flags of Convenience” – that’s a slap in the face of patriotic Saffa rugby players of all races.

Tis different, however,with foreign players aspiring to be Bokke AND committing to South Africa – players like The Beast.