All hail the Kings
23 Feb 2013
The Kings scored an historic Super Rugby victory in their tournament debut in Port Elizabeth.
The Kings won 22-10 in front of a crowd exceeding 30 000 against Australia’s Western Force.
What a magnificent achievement. What a wonderful night for rugby in the Southern and Eastern Cape. What a night to remember.
South Africans be proud of a team that played for themselves, their region and their country.
Hopefully now the hatred with subside.
Luke Watson, a former Grey High captain, led out the Kings and proved inspirational in the opening 30 minutes before an accidental elbow to his larynx ended his evening. His replacement Jacques Englebrecht was as imposing as every Kings player stood tall in defence to turn a 10-5 deficit into a 11-10 lead and ultimately victory.
The Kings players with Super Rugby experience like hooker Bandise Maku, lock Steven Sykes and midfielders Andries Strauss and Ronnie Cooke were outstanding but it was a local teenager, winger Sergeal Petersen, who stole the hearts with a brace of tries to be named man of the match.
Petersen was in school at Grey High just three months ago and what made the night even more monumental was the first try should go to local lad from the region’s greatest rugby institution and that the player of the night should be a product of Grey High.
Kings Director of Rugby Alan Solomons deserves every accolade, as does coach Matt Sexton.
‘It was an incredible defensive effort,’ said Solomons. ‘We turned over a lot of ball and made a lot of mistakes but they will learn at this level. But their commitment can’t be faulted. It was a huge effort.’
Kings stand in captain Andries Strauss said the players were always confident they were good enough to win.
‘We will enjoy the night, but we are a grounded unit and we know it just gets tougher with each match.’
The Kings were given no price and no chance and done no favours.
The Kings lead the South African Conference after week one and that alone is a screen shot that makes this year among the most historic in South Africa’s Super Rugby history.
The Kings were everything but an embarrassment. They were an inspiration and they deserve every bit of applause for what was achieved in Port Elizabeth on Saturday night.
No new team in the competition has ever won in their first match. That bit of history belongs to the Kings.
By Mark Keohane
944 Comments
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24 Feb 2013, 22:13 pm
@nama1-881: That should teach you to stay away from Sarepta’s shebeens .
24 Feb 2013, 22:16 pm
@Hurricane-898:
its not McCaw i’m worried about so much as i am worried about you.
most of the bloggers here think similarly but are more prone to letting things go after a while and the wounds have healed. i suppose in a way this makes them better persons than i can be.
dont fool yourself if you actually think they, the vast majority, do not believe him and most kiwis to be cheats.
24 Feb 2013, 22:22 pm
@nortierd-900:
Trying to make everyone happy here.
24 Feb 2013, 22:26 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-902: you are an idiot .
24 Feb 2013, 22:26 pm
@Hurricane-903:
Now that’s a tall order.
I would think you have a better chance of brokering peace in the Middle East than achieving making everyone on this site happy
24 Feb 2013, 22:28 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-902:
So most on here think like you and we cheat all our wins ?
I would be surprised if most on here are that sour.
I know the Boks cheat, every team pushes the boundries….. but i am not going to take away all there wins as the only reason was cheating. If no team cheated there would be no reason to penalise.
24 Feb 2013, 22:28 pm
@nortierd-905:
Hmmm the middle east does need it.
24 Feb 2013, 22:33 pm
@Hurricane-906:
I prefer calling it pushing the boundaries, whether you lay flat, punch, whatever it takes to win.
If I was playing for the Stormers Friday I would have been in Hougaards ear from the first scrum about his alleged involvement in the Pistorius shooting.
If they worked him up enough by calling him an accomplice or something he might have lost it.
I prefer the term gamesmanship to dirty or cheat.
24 Feb 2013, 22:34 pm
@S_K-904:
@Hurricane-906:
yes they do but they are nicer about it and dont hold grudges for too long.
anyway, i have an early day so am off to bed,
do have a good day
24 Feb 2013, 22:35 pm
I noticed Skop had his hands full with the guppy supporters regarding the kings .I am beginning to think along the same lines that they just pissed off that their annual rape of the EC’s rugby talent might soon come to an end.
24 Feb 2013, 22:37 pm
@S_K-910:
He was on a roll last night
24 Feb 2013, 22:37 pm
@nortierd-908:
and a set of rules for the rest.
problem is it doesn’t work when there’s a ‘rule’ for the Boks, a special set of rules for the AB’s
24 Feb 2013, 22:39 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-909:
Well odds not looking good at the moment for you.
Three bloggers on here including me , two think you are an idiot and the other does not agree with you…… he is too nice to say you are an idiot
24 Feb 2013, 22:40 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-912:
Make your own rules.
Guys like Corne Krige still managed to get their punches in without the ref or camera picking it up, and not the one vs England where he moered his own team mate
24 Feb 2013, 22:44 pm
Hurri, in my highly agitated state ( how’s that for a fancy way to say pis$ed off ) I made my week 3 picks last night and got the Canes to beat the Reds.
I hope I didn’t give your side the kiss of death again
You reckon they can do it away from home?
24 Feb 2013, 22:48 pm
@nortierd-915:
IF the Canes get it together, the Reds will not have a show.
But we all know the Canes. They will beat the top 5 teams and lose to the bottom quarter of the table.
24 Feb 2013, 22:51 pm
@Hurricane-913:
Capo’s opinion doesn’t count.
he’s ‘compromised’.
@nortierd-914:
not possible for the Boks, look at 2010 for a larfable case in point.
certainly possible for the AB’s, look at 2008, 2010/11/12 for the same.
dont be naive Nortie, you know it doesn’t work that way for the Boks.
honest question, notwithstanding Hurri’s presence, would you label the AB’s as cheats? yes i know you like other aspects of their game but purely in regard to cheating, would you say they do it and are good at it or would you say they do not?
24 Feb 2013, 23:00 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-917:
No, I would say they have mastered the way of manipulating tight matches to their advantage.
This is not a new thing.
In the olden days home refs took care of the majority of results.
Fitzpatrick was the first real “master” of mind f-king a ref, excuse the word, but it is IMO the closest way to describe it.
He was brilliant in how he managed them, and even if the majority of SA supporters hated him, I was intrigued by him.
He had great teams and players to back him up though.
McCaw, again in my opinion, is the greatest player to have played the game.
His longevity ,coupled with being and staying the best in a position where he is a target every game, puts him there in my book.
There should be no reason why we can’t also produce this type of rugby, we need to let the shackles loose and stop making our players play like robots.
24 Feb 2013, 23:02 pm
@nortierd-918:
Hmmm not the answer Bakkies was looking for but well put i must say.
24 Feb 2013, 23:11 pm
@Hurricane-919:
Hurri, I was probably one of the dirtiest rugby players I have ever known, so it would be hypocritical of me to slag others for playing dirty.
Difference is, I never played with 50 cameras watching my every move, and in those days it was hit first or be hit first
Point is, I believe you do what is necessary to win and kudos to you if you get away with it.
24 Feb 2013, 23:15 pm
@nortierd-920:
lol
Nortie the thug???…..jk
But yeah i know what ya mean….in the old days it was a bit like that, not myself but i knew a few team mates that looked more forward to the fight than the half time oranges.
24 Feb 2013, 23:17 pm
@Hurricane-921:
Let me guess
You were a backline player?
24 Feb 2013, 23:18 pm
@nortierd-918:
@Hurricane-919:
@nortierd-920:
yes, not the answer i was looking for.
i dont think Nortie will answer it honestly in your presence, Hurri.
he’s being diplomatic.
lets say so far the answer to the question:
do you believe Kiwi teams are cheats and do so way more than most?
is:
yes = 1
no = 1 & 1/2
24 Feb 2013, 23:19 pm
ok i’m out all
sleep well and good night
24 Feb 2013, 23:24 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-923:
Diplomacy is not my strongest suit Bakkies.
And my opinion is not based on Hurri’s presence.
Every team and player at some stage cheats, whether intentionally or in the heat of the moment.
Whether slowing a ball down, creeping up off side, pulling a jersey or head butting or punching an opponent.
It happens every game, every where.
The art is to do it in a manner where you are not constantly caught out, manage to manipulate the outcome, and put the other side off their game and in that regard certain players are masters of the art and other flunk the class.
24 Feb 2013, 23:43 pm
Lol I love how Capo has a monologue. He has no choice. Everyone else just ignores what he utters.
25 Feb 2013, 02:50 am
Kia Ora Nortie
I tipped the chiefs and brumbies, then didnt get another point in superbru for the entire weekend. I am almost 9 points behind TR whose beginners luck was amazing
glad he’s carrying the flag though, all part of the team effort.
25 Feb 2013, 03:11 am
@the curse-927:
Kia ora Pops…do you get Choysa tea over in Sydney?…..works a charm…
25 Feb 2013, 03:56 am
The dirty stuff has all but subsided in recent years. No issues there. I do have an issue with planned moves by kiwi teams where players are taken out of play off the ball to create gaps. Also the use of obstructive runners in front of the rucks. By all means get physical and use intimidation within the rules. push the boundaries of what the ref allows at ruck time. But play within the spirit of the game. it’s not American football.
25 Feb 2013, 04:22 am
@SjamBok-929:
SjamBok…the use of screens around the ruck has become more prevalent in the game and it kind of gets on my goat as well , including passes going out the back to say the full back coming into the line but the pass is going behind the back of say the second five who is standing in a position where he is there basically to block. Yes your point is valid….but as long as the officials allow it to happen, it will continue… but it doesn’t make it right….
25 Feb 2013, 04:46 am
@SjamBok-929:
Totally understand….but you have to admit,it is only the Kiwi teams that are doing any sort of backline move. Thing is with the moves, it only takes someone to be out of time with there run it can cause issues with offside and interference, timing is the issue here, not coaching to interfere with players.
Its like when i see a South African team maul away, thats what SA do really well but i see players joining offside, taking player out of the rolling maul…every part of that maul to me is wrong, but it goes unpunished….. yes play within the spirit of the game and not a game of truck and trailers
25 Feb 2013, 05:08 am
George smith joins brumbies.
25 Feb 2013, 05:24 am
@wallabie.-932:
That’s a little coup for JW, always a bonus to bring a player with a big rep and experience in to a side who are already pretty confident……
25 Feb 2013, 06:03 am
Couldn’t watch the whole game but now that I have, I don’t think there has ever been a team that played as kak as the Force did. Which should go down in the record books just below the Kings winning their debut game.
25 Feb 2013, 07:04 am
@nortierd-925:
@SjamBok-929:
@Te Rangatira-930:
so thats: do you believe Kiwi teams are cheats and do so way more than most?
yes = 4
no = 1& 1/2
25 Feb 2013, 07:24 am
do you believe Bakkies is a poor loser and cries incessantly because of this?
unanimous decision from the blog is yes
25 Feb 2013, 07:50 am
@the curse-936:
will you vote on it please, Pops?
yes or no?
25 Feb 2013, 08:10 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-935:
haha….Houston…what I failed to convey in my post #930 is that every side in the comp employ these types of tactics but because the Sa sides attack is a little less, how could I put it, sophisticated….head down arrse up… they do it less than most of the Anzac teams.
25 Feb 2013, 08:51 am
I’m not going to vote on your paranoia Bakkies
there is nothing worse than empowering someone with a sickness by catering to said sickness
the best help I can give you is to continue to let you know you have a sickness
go back to soccer and let us rugby supporters enjoy the game we love.
25 Feb 2013, 09:08 am
@the curse-939: He can’t do that either, Pops.
One of SA’s major soccer competitions, “The Nedbank Challenge Cup” kicked off on the weekend. This is a competition where teams from the lower leagues of SA soccer are drawn against the teams in the Premier Division on a knockout basis.
Bakkies’s beloved Orlando Pirates got drawn against a rural college team and got pasted 4-1!!!
So he won’t be in a good mood this morning, I’m sure!
25 Feb 2013, 09:46 am
surely the pirates were cheated that’s why they lost?
25 Feb 2013, 10:53 am
@the curse-941:
You said it, not me!
25 Feb 2013, 13:26 pm
@Te Rangatira-938:
hi TR, sorry i’m really busy this morning.
hehehe so is that a yes, you do cheat more
@the curse-939: u
who is ‘us’ you numbskull.
wow!
you really believe people on this blog dont think of you as cheats…
GTFOH..
i’ll take it as a no ,thank you.
fyi i’m too bust this morning to respond so save your ludicrous responses for later.
@BrumbiesBoy-940:
jou mislike etter
25 Feb 2013, 15:11 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-943:
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