Watson leads Kings in show of Force
12 Feb 2013
The Kings line-up to front Griquas is what will face the Force in their Super Rugby debut.
The inspirational Luke Watson is back as captain following a lengthy injury lay-off and the side is considerably stronger than that which has played in previous warm-ups.
Along with Watson, other big names that get starts include Bandise Maku in the front row, Steven Sykes getting a run in the second row and the backline getting a boost with Demetri Catrakilis running the show with Andries Struass and Ronnie Cooke teaming up in midfield.
The bench includes foreigners in Hadleigh Parkes, Nicolas Vergallo and the re-imported ex-Sharks and Bulls player Dan Adongo.
Kings: 15 SP Marais, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Siyanda Grey, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Luke Watson (captain), 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Cornel du Preez , 5 Steve Sykes, 4 David Bulbring, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Substitutes : Edgar Marutlulle, BG Uys, Jaco Engels, Daniel Adongo, Devin Oosthuizen, Nicolas Vergallo, George Whitehead, Hadleigh Parkes, Marcello Sampson, Johan Herbst.
By Richard Ferguson
285 Comments
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12 Feb 2013, 18:16 pm
@bangkok-bok-150: Sorry.
12 Feb 2013, 18:29 pm
@Dusky-148: clearly you’ve no basis to question luke’s captaincy credentials, as you were
12 Feb 2013, 18:35 pm
@Transformation-135:
> oh so now you’ve changed your tune after seeing that the Rebels were indeed handed a DASKI “KRISMAAS BOKS” of 10 players bwahahahahahaha
Rebels didn’t have or claim to have 200 000 extra players on hand, in fact I doubt if the whole Australia has so many rugby players
12 Feb 2013, 18:38 pm
@RL-141: keo’s friends lol. Haven’t a clue hey, I’ve been a little out of the rugby loop. But I’m going to check Supersport to update Luke’s page so I will let you know
@Dusky-143: bru you have issues. See a therapist.
12 Feb 2013, 18:42 pm
@victoriabok-153: oh so puerile…up your game Oom..
registered players that play club rugby are registered players i doesn’t mean they are Super rugby quality, but you knew that…
12 Feb 2013, 18:46 pm
@Transformation-155:
Why then did Cheeky use them as the main premise of his argument?
12 Feb 2013, 19:03 pm
@victoriabok-156:
I don’t think Cheeky ever claimed that there were enough black players in the EC ready to play Super rugby for them. Only that having a Franchise would help retain and develop black players and rugby within the region, which was the traditional area of black rugby under SARU (the original one).
12 Feb 2013, 19:16 pm
@dave: do you see the level of discourse here
12 Feb 2013, 19:28 pm
@Transformation-158:
I’ve rarely seen as much misinformation about a subject as people direct at the Kings. There’s also a massive blind spot about the history of black rugby in this country. It’s as if the only rugby played here was between the traditional SARFU CC unions. They constantly refer to the lack of success of EP in the CC over the last 100 years, as if SARU and their players never existed.
12 Feb 2013, 19:31 pm
@victoriabok-156: with all due respect, jy praat klomp KAK!
Cheeky at no point EVER said anything about “200 000 black players”…don’t take hearsay & spew it here as fact, you run the risk of embarrassing yourself. tl tl tl
12 Feb 2013, 19:36 pm
@David-159: i saw a programme over the weekend that had Sam Ramsamy in one show & Silas Nkanunu in another recalling the history of rugby amongst people of colour
12 Feb 2013, 19:44 pm
@Transformation-161:
Sam did a lot to highlight the iniquities of racially divided sport, but he was an arrogant and unpleasant individual.
12 Feb 2013, 19:54 pm
@David-162: never met the man…
12 Feb 2013, 20:03 pm
@victoriabok-156: this is a favour to you VictoriaBok, RL, Charo – chief propagandists of the “200 000 black players” rubbish
No more of this twaddle chaps!
Tony Mckeever
2008
Almost three years ago to the day, on June
8 2005, SA Rugby’s presidents’ council put
in motion a unanimous council resolution
— a transformation charter of sorts that
was a groundbreaking plan to fast-track
transformation and representativeness in
rugby in South Africa.
It has been declared that the game of rugby
is in peril in South Africa, as the playing
profiles of 12 out of the 14 unions do not
match the country’s demographic profile.
South Africa has 466 000 registered rugby
players and more than 200 000 are in the
Southern and Eastern Cape.
This unanimous and binding council
resolution was a watershed moment in
rugby and embraced the entire country,
with six Super 14 franchises (the Bulls,
Lions, Stormers, Cheetahs, Sharks and
Spears) representing all 14 unions. It also
established fledgling new franchise the
Southern Spears, who, given the newness of
the franchise, were placed in the 2006
Currie Cup as preparation for the 2007/08
Super 14 competition.
A 90-page SA Rugby Super 14 franchise
participation agreement was summarily
authored by SA Rugby’s legal counsel, De
Klerk & van Gend, and distributed by SA
Rugby to all six franchises on November 28
2005. It declared that “notwithstanding
signature of the agreement”, it was effective
from January 1 2006 to May 31 2010, and
articulated in great detail the equitable
distribution of players as well as the
relegation and promotion of the last-placed
South African team on the Super 14 log.
Provision was made for an enormous
amount of consultancy with the national
coach and six Super 14 coaches, and the
distribution and playing of Springboks.
Around February 2006, the Stormers,
Cheetahs, Lions and Sharks were on losing
streaks and feared being relegated. Brian
van Rooyen was fighting for survival in
rugby and Hoskins, as figurehead and
president of the Sharks, was tabbed by the
“big” five unions to oppose Van Rooyen and
mandated that the Spears had to be
incapacitated until after May 2010.
Following his election in March 2006,
Hoskins’s first order was to declare the
Spears “not ready” for Super 14, and so
started a legal brouhaha that SA Rugby lost
in the Cape High Court where Judge Dennis
Davis ruled on August 4 2006 that the
Spears had a legal and binding agreement.
This wrangle has seen SA Rugby lose three
times in the Cape High Court and spend
more than R21-million to accomplish this —
R8-million in legal fees and costs and a
further R13,5-million to acquire 50% of the
shares of Border, SWD and Eastern
Province. The bizarre endeavour to vote the
Spears “out” still is not over.
All this is being choreographed by SA
Rugby’s inept legal and financial
administrators at the urging of Hoskins, in a
futile endeavour to fulfil his mandate to
exclude the Spears.
SA Rugby under Hoskins has set back
transformation and equitable
representation in South African rugby by
five years. The SA Rugby treasury has been
pillaged in wild and uncontrolled efforts of
ruse and subterfuge to demonise,
marginalise and eradicate the Spears, but
one has to ask: How responsible is it, for SA
Rugby, as custodians of the game in this
country, to deny deliberately and wantonly
more than 200 000 rugby players in the
Eastern Cape the opportunity of playing for
their own franchise?
To put this into further
perspective, the Lions franchise represents
only 21 clubs and the Spears franchise 450.
over 200 000 rugby players representing 450 clubs, nowhere is colour mentioned.
my pleasure!
12 Feb 2013, 20:36 pm
@Transformation-164:
Spears/Kings
McKeever/Cheeky
Potato Pothato
Same bulls.hit artists and same bulls.hit
12 Feb 2013, 20:37 pm
@Transformation-164:
And they wonder why most people don’t like the Sharks? They brought us Hoskins…
12 Feb 2013, 20:38 pm
@Transformation-164:
> How responsible is it, for SA Rugby, as custodians of the game in this country, to deny deliberately and wantonly more than 200 000 rugby players in the Eastern Cape the opportunity of playing for their own franchise?
Exactly, and now they’re allowed and their own franchise denies them the opportunity by playing foreigners
12 Feb 2013, 21:08 pm
re THE Decision of Aug 2012:
“”Media are reminded that the responsibility for deciding South Africa’s participants in the Super Rugby competition rests with the General Council of SARU,” the statement said.
Each of the 14 provincial unions has two voting seats on the Council (one of whom must be the union president or his deputy).
The SARU president, Oregan Hoskins, also has a vote, making 29 votes in all.”
Jurie Roux, SARU CEO (as reported in rugby365 on 17 Jul 2012)
**
Can we once and for all (& forever) place names & unions to these 29 members responsible for THE Hated Decision, & get off The Watsons’ & The Kings’ backs? Give us the names & let the haters direct their hate to the persons responsible, if they must.
**
Anyway, imo the haters should be happy with that decision, they don’t give credit where credit is due – I believe a faction in the General Council orchestrated “a set-up to fail decision”, in fact a series of such decisions going back several years. IMO this decision (construed in the light of all the T&Cs) was not intended to be transforming, not intended to be progressive, but reactionary; it was cunningly conceived to be counter-productive, to entrench the status quo way into the future. Contrary to belief the SARU nobs aren’t fools, just political animals, & they and there ilk have been playing rugby politics for yonks; it is in their DNA. They are more adroit at it than any political party; & it all happens in comfy seclusion behind closed doors, not on DSTV Ch 408.
But Cheeky and some others are also political; & groundswell support, excitement & expectation are rising, & might just lift & sweep the players along – perhaps the SARU politicos have underestimated & miscalculated this time …
**
Those 29 names please … anyone? Could be interesting.
12 Feb 2013, 21:12 pm
@Angostura-168: “there ilk” = their ilk
12 Feb 2013, 21:42 pm
@Transformation-164:
This won’t stop them from using the “200 000 black players in that region” propaganda in the future. You know that?
12 Feb 2013, 21:56 pm
@grant10-138: John Smit has signed for the Kings?
12 Feb 2013, 22:04 pm
@Angostura-168: Omertà
12 Feb 2013, 22:10 pm
@nama1-170: at least i’ll get to laugh at them freely!
12 Feb 2013, 22:21 pm
@Transformation-164:
Are you insinuating that man is what the Americans call “uncle Tom or a coconut” LOL. That I must say has brought some perspective to the whole Southern Kings saga. It is even extenuated by the fact that a Watson is leading the cause. The traitor to some extremist in here.
12 Feb 2013, 22:24 pm
@Transformation-164:
> over 200 000 rugby players representing 450 clubs, nowhere is colour mentioned
Definitely not 200 000 white players, according to the 2011 census only 310 450 whites lived in the EC
Add McKeever’s statement ” as the playing profiles of 12 out of the 14 unions do not match the country’s demographic profile” to the 200 000 he quoted and it pretty well shows he meant black players
12 Feb 2013, 22:26 pm
@Angostura-168:
Cheeky is no idiot and watch this space. Man of honour who will stand his ground regardless of the oncoming tide.
12 Feb 2013, 22:31 pm
@Peter Mkata-176:
> Man of honour
Hahhaha, pull my other finger please?
> who will stand his ground regardless
They’re just humoring him, like they did when they had to include Pukie
Let’s see next year
12 Feb 2013, 22:43 pm
@victoriabok-177:
Very few people have the backbone to stand up against the tide. He has put the EC rugby back in the map where it belongs. You may hate or dislike him to put it more midly, but there are people who appreciate what has been achieved rugby wise in that part of SA thus far.
12 Feb 2013, 22:43 pm
Kings to take out the Force…and lead Sa Conference after week one.
12 Feb 2013, 22:53 pm
@Te Rangatira-179: haha you split my sides in laughter.
@Peter Mkata-178: only a small minority. The rest can see through his BS.
12 Feb 2013, 22:55 pm
@victoriabok-175: be honest for ONCE in your life…where did Cheeky Watson – the bane of your existence – use 200 000 black players “as the main
premise of his argument??
the truth shall set you free.
12 Feb 2013, 23:02 pm
@Peter Mkata-174: uHoskins yinja mhlekazi…umngcatshi okwela nqanaba loJudas.
12 Feb 2013, 23:04 pm
Was PDV an oracle or what?
http://theweekendpost.com/tag/cheeky-watson/
De Villiers’s book has already courted controversy in Eastern Cape rugby circles as it contains assertions about Watson’s son Luke and the fact that the Southern Kings should not be part of the Super Rugby competition next year.
Frolick said De Villiers’s disclosures were a “slap in the face” to the Eastern Cape rugby community.
De Villiers’s criticism of the Southern Kings being included in the tough Super Rugby competition next year also came as a shock to Frolick.
In the book, De Villiers says the Eastern Cape needs rugby to be developed, as 60% of all South Africa’s black players come from the region, but the Kings are not the answer. “If you want to introduce rugby, make every Super 15 team play a game there. If you want to develop talent, let it run its natural course, not by buying players from elsewhere. If they gave black players the chance, they would be the best they could be …
“We don’t have enough players to justify it. Instead of creating a vehicle to develop and keep the best black rugby players in the country, we’re making a team for the seventh, eighth and ninth best white players who don’t have anything left to give.”
He says the Kings simply would not be competitive in Super Rugby.
Seems the only thing PDV didn’t predict was the “foreign player takeover” at the Kings. Where are all the black players now? PDV knew it then.
12 Feb 2013, 23:06 pm
@Peter Mkata-178:
He took a once successful union, ran into the ground and bankrupted by his political comrades and turned it around?
He used political influence to force his son into the Springbok squad agains the will of the public, selectors, coach players and his own son(like he recently acknowledged in an interview)
He again used political influence to get his team into Super rugby
Now he wants to use for foreign players, although SARU ruled against it
Are there any rules this p.rick would follow?
12 Feb 2013, 23:37 pm
funny thing is. between the fights of 10 or so regulars here… 99% of SA’cans are going to support the Kings against the NZ and Oz teams.
It is going to take a couple of hard games from the Kings.. and hopefully some good supporters and commitment to their cause – on the field… and they could well be on their way to being liked.
Question… and I’m not demanding it or not…. but if Cheeky resigned, now that the Kings are there… ok, then ‘we’ still have Lukie…. but besides… it seems that Luke and Cheeky and are the main coppers of dissatisfaction (don’t like words like hate’)….. ok, if both of them are gone.. will people then see the logic and ultimate greater benefit to all SA rugby?
People really don’t like those two… man.
12 Feb 2013, 23:38 pm
@victoriabok-184:
Vic, now you are being dishonest. Your hatred for Watson knows no boundry. I have been following your articles for quite some time now. EP rugby is on the up because Cheeky is at the helm of it. That will not change because you hate him.
True though that some people ran the union to the ground. Cheeky was not part of that. Those idiots were voted out and Cheeky brought to clear the messup. That is a show of trust on him. No wishfull thinking on your part will change that.
The hate is going to consume you. Move on please. Madiba is no longer a terrorist as many like you believed not so long ago.
12 Feb 2013, 23:42 pm
@shooter-185:
> Question… and I’m not demanding it or not…. but if Cheeky resigned, now that the Kings are there… ok, then ‘we’ still have Lukie…. but besides… it seems that Luke and Cheeky and are the main coppers of dissatisfaction (don’t like words like hate’)….. ok, if both of them are gone.. will people then see the logic and ultimate greater benefit to all SA rugby?
Yes, of course the EP has always produced excellent players
12 Feb 2013, 23:43 pm
@shooter-185: seriously if you read the comments on various blogs I think you will see that the number is a bit smaller than 99%.
I will remain fairly neutral when watching the Kings, I don’t think I will go as far as to cheer them on. They are not there on merit, so why should I?
The quicker they are gone the better for SA rugby. Too much division with them around, one only has to look at threads like this one.
12 Feb 2013, 23:44 pm
@Peter Mkata-186:
> I have been following your articles for quite some time now
Wrong again, I’ve never written an article in my life
I’m not a journalist
I work for a living
12 Feb 2013, 23:44 pm
@Transformation-182: Black or white I don’t much care but is that 200,000 true? There are 200,000 players in the region and there has never been a super franchise? Wow, that is incredible. NZ has less than 150,000 according to the IRB.
I’m not a fan of the guys involved in the Kings or how they’ve gone about their business and am equally unimpressed by SARU. But hell, RSA needs to do more to tap that talent. As a kiwi, that scares the bejezus about of me
12 Feb 2013, 23:45 pm
@gonzo-190: oh and before i offend anyone, when i say “do more” i don’t mean handing them a super rugby franchise necessarily
12 Feb 2013, 23:49 pm
@Peter Mkata-186:
> EP rugby is on the up because Cheeky is at the helm of it.
> True though that some people ran the union to the ground. Cheeky was not part of that.
> Those idiots were voted out and Cheeky brought to clear the messup
Those idiots were brought in for “transformation” and they did transform it all right
Cheeky is not so much “clearing up the mess”, it’s rather a matter of cashing in on Super money
12 Feb 2013, 23:49 pm
@shooter-185:
Lot of generalising in that. How do you know that 99% of South Africans are going to support Kings’ opponents? Do not let your hatred of the Watson cloud you logic. and time will obviously tell.
As I said above, Madiba is no longer a terrorist. Move on man.
Many of us support the All Blacks because they play attractive rugby and others because they hate what the Springboks represented whether you like it or not.
I guess then you and your ilk have a right to hate the Kings because of it’s association with the Watsons and you are obviously entitled to it. You can never wish the Watsons away whether you like it or not. They are part of the rainbow nation.
12 Feb 2013, 23:51 pm
@victoriabok-189:
Now you are splitting hairs. You really are a desparate soul.
12 Feb 2013, 23:54 pm
@gonzo-190:
Quantity vs quality
If China or India suddenly took to rugby and claimed to have 1 million registered players, all 5 foot tall and weighing 60kg, would they be able to challenge the All Blacks?
Like rugby in Japan, very popular but will they ever win a World Cup?
12 Feb 2013, 23:58 pm
@ShaunB-188: ok, 99% is maybe slightly more than, say, 80%.
I’ll be cheering like crazy for them. Imagine they somehow get close to upset the Crusaders, or Blues or Brumbies…. surely you’re not, as a Saffa, going to sit there with a poker face and think, with 5 minutes left on the clock, what will be will be…
You’re going to cheer!
Merit is relative. It has to start somewhere. Sometime. Maybe the process was faulted. True. But the Lions – administration above all – has been in shambles since after Louis Luyt. It -the Kings – could be another house of cards,,, waiting to tumble,,, but most probably, the right solution has not been found yet..
If the Kings do get chucked out/ relegated next year, at least they would’ve now been established for the greater part. Maybe they can then build on this, do a Lions type tour,,, get some sponsors… get their clubs, supporters and mojo going again… in the long run this will be great for the greater good.
Really.. what if they beat the Lions in the relegation game… that’s going to be a tough nut then.
More solutions. Less drama.
12 Feb 2013, 23:59 pm
@Peter Mkata-193: i think you’ve misinterpreted my post.
12 Feb 2013, 23:59 pm
@victoriabok-192:
Wild allegations again. Where is the evidence. One thing I know is that EP has super rugby this year and somehow that honourable man by the name of Cheeky is in charge even though they have been set up to fail in my opinion. Live with that man, it is not going to change whether you are a hater of the Watsons or not.
13 Feb 2013, 00:00 am
@victoriabok-195: I start to wonder where these player stats come from. I’m sure a few years back England had 600,000 but now they have 2m according to the IRB. Japan has almost as many as NZ and Oz – that really surprises me. Are these clubs claiming players so they can get funding from the national unions, the IRB or other sporting bodies?
13 Feb 2013, 00:00 am
I was born and raised in the eastern cape, so I am glad that top level rugby will again be played there! I will support the Kings and the players and hope they can perform well.
I however do not support the idea of transformation, as its offensive and prejudiced. I believe in equal opportunity i.e. a South Africa where anyone can choose to play rugby. But to attempt to racially engineer the makeup of sports teams in South Africa is really one of the aspects that apartheid was hated – yet, Transformation is simply that…
Anyway, go Kings
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