All hail the Kings

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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  • 501.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:03 pm

    @kaksioek-493:
    We’ll swop you nr 15, 10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 for Lambie and Frans Steyn.

  • 502.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:04 pm

    @ShaunB-488: you are a far bigger fuckwit prat you miserable fckwit cn’t and if you are unable to recognize it the rest of true humanity that recognized true spirit endeavor is not going to be hoodwinked by miserable feeble fckwit cn’ts the likes of you…

  • 503.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:04 pm

    I think the Kings stepped up on the big occasion for them they played with heart and passion very good to see

  • 504.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:06 pm

    @skopdiekan-502:
    Hi Skoppie Howzit going ? Just ignore him

  • 505.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:07 pm

    I thought Goosen was excellent in 2nd half for Cheetahs
    And great to see all our young backs plying Super 15

  • 506.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:08 pm

    @skopdiekan-448: Mrs Palm is also calling you, but only two daughters are needed I believe.

  • 507.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:10 pm

    54.skopdiekan:
    14 Feb 2013, 00:18 am It always saddens me when people in any walk of expertise are lured to offer their loyalty and affection elsewhere from their own home bed of nurturing. All it shows is that money his a far greater appeal to sport participants than the feeling and emotions that should come with representing and contributing to your own regional association first before filling your pockets with the tainted silver that lured you away . Judas Iscariot comes to mind in these instances every time.

  • 508.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:10 pm

    @BrumbiesBoy-506:
    Your team looks good Well balanced They should do well this year

  • 509.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:10 pm

    Could be a very good bok side this year if goosen and frans steyn fit – the natal winger Peter stef du tout looks blast good like a young Kirin, I put him straight onto one wing with Jp on the other and the Boks pump ABs home and away like the soap opera only better

  • 510.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:14 pm

    @cab-509:
    Yes you are right especially Goosen Just hope he stays fit He tends to thow himself at anything and every body i can see him getting a call form HM to protect his body a b it better :)

  • 511.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:15 pm

    Jacques Englebrecht looks decent big strong breaks gain line Worth watching I would say

  • 512.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:16 pm

    @cab-509: Pieter-Steph du Toit is a lock or a flank. What are you smoking?

  • 513.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:17 pm

    @cab-509:
    Get rid of Meyer….then you may have a hit….

  • 514.jet jungle: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:18 pm

    @ET.-159: +Gaats hiers die held van soweto. Donder Eugene wil jy vir my se jys daai dag soweto toe sonder a gun in jou mou en jy het dit oorleef? Jy is n dapper muis maak geen fout daar nie.Ek wonder soms oor jou is jy regtig so braaf of is jy dalk net n papiertier wat homself as n komediant wil voordoen. ek sal jou dit toegee, jy is K.aksnaaks vir al die verkeerde redes.

  • 515.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:18 pm

    510 yes Pete goosen looks excellent – gdam I hope Meyer gets a little more adventurous this year – I was watching something on the NHL Minnesota Vikings on espn – dunno if you follow any of the Nfl but there’s some nice history – telling the story of the Canadian quarterback they drafted in during 70s – a real character, think football and baseball be quite nice sports

  • 516.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:19 pm

    Sorry NHL = NFL, think its soda from Minnesota.

  • 517.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:21 pm

    512, kaksoek, the oke that scored the try down the line but stepped into touch? Damn I knew it was too good to be true

  • 518.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:22 pm

    Yes big NFL fan but not rugby lol
    I am a 49er fan

  • 519.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:23 pm

    Yes Soda is from Minnesota ET from Philly

  • 520.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:24 pm

    @cab-517: Well, this makes it even better – right? A lock or a flank with amazing pace. He’s going to be a legend, won the junior world championship last year as a lock.

  • 521.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:26 pm

    Kaksoek no then not sure if big enough for flank, damn that bugger finished well tho, that’s a Kirwin try.

  • 522.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:27 pm

    @kaksioek-520:
    Juust happy there will be some other locks for HM to chose other than Bekker and Kruger

  • 523.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:28 pm

    @cab-521: He’s still growing. He might not be a Bok this year, but it is a matter of time.

  • 524.stormer in a teacup: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:30 pm

    Congratulations Bull, Sharks, Kings and Keo for calling it.

  • 525.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:30 pm

    @kaksioek-493:

    here is a comparison for you

    15. Jaco Taute (Former Lion, born in Springs – my own home town) GP
    14. Gio Aplon – WP
    13. Jean de Villiers (captain) WP
    12. Damian de Allende WP
    11. Bryan Habana (Former Lion and Bull, born in JHB) GP
    10. Elton Jantjies (Former Lion, but born in Graaff-Reinet – surely he should play for the Kings) EP
    9. Nic Groom (Born in King Williams Town schooled and educated in CT and recently at UCT– ) WP
    8. Duane Vermeulen (Former Cheetah, born in Nelspruit) should play for MP
    7. Rynhardt Elstadt (Born in JHB grew up in Montagu schooled in WP) WP
    6. Siya Kolisi (Born in Zwide – born to be a King) EP
    5. Andries Bekker WP
    4. De Kock Steenkamp WP
    3. Pat Cilliers (Former Shark and Lion, born in Pietermaritzburg) KZN
    2. Deon Fourie (Born in Pretoria) BB
    1. Steven Kitshoff (Ginger) WP

    breakdown
    8 WP, 2 GP, 2 EP, 1 BB, 1 KZN, 1 MP

    Now here is your Sharkishits who scraped past one of their feeder team Cheetahs today

    Ludick – GP
    JPP – WP
    Jordaan – EP
    FS – EP
    Mvovo – EP
    Lambie – KZN
    Reinach – OFS
    Kankowski – EP
    Coetsee – KZN
    Botes – GP
    Vd Merwe – WP
    Bressler – Namibia
    Du Plessis – OFS
    Burden – KZN
    Beast – Zimbabwe

    Breakdown
    4 EP, 3 KZN, 2 WP, 2 GP, 2 OFS, 1 NMB, 1 Zim

    Psdt – WP, Bosman – FS, Ndungane – EP, McLeod – GP, Alberts – GP, Daniel – EP, Whitehead – EP, Sithole – EP, Mbalula – EP

    Now which one looks like a true mercenary bunch of money grubbing mercenary profiteering creeps and which not..??

    I gladly give EP their players if we get all our lost players back.. and Jantjies and Taute can f’off back to Lions tomorrow.. we don’t need them.

    If all mercenaries go back to their nome bred or at least to the franchise that schooled and educated and brought them through junior systems.. then the SA rugby landscape would look like this

    WP
    EP
    FS
    Lions
    Bulls
    Sharks

    That is the true reflection of how the rugby playing demographics in terms of real rugby expediency and player quality works currently

  • 526.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:32 pm

    @skopdiekan-525: snooze…. zzz zzz zzz zzz since when do you only play for the team where you were born? zzz zzz zzz how come you lived and worked in CT when you grew up in Jhb?

  • 527.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:32 pm

    @cab-509:
    @kaksioek-520:

    Pieter Steff Du Toit

    he’s a No 7 flank or No. 4 lock.. another bred and schooled in WP and poached and stolen by Sharkshit mercenary hunters…

  • 528.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:34 pm

    so what you got to say about your hero puke twatson having played at Bath?

  • 529.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:36 pm

    @ShaunB-526: go play soccer you stupid moronic sharkshit anti Kings cn’t that is all you KZN second rate rugby fraternity is good for… its no wonder that all the best soccer players and coaches come from Sharkshit country because that is your preferred form of sporting endeavor and entertainment… you should stick to what you do best and leave those with rugby bred into their souls from birth to play the game closest to their natural inclinations.

  • 530.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:36 pm

    The young black winger from grey had a moerse good game considering. Be interesting to see how he grows over next year or two. Brave. Up against Cummings and Mafu, you don’t get much tougher then that.

  • 531.SpringbokSarah: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:38 pm

    I’m proud to say I was there and it was AWESOME :mrgreen:

  • 532.jet jungle: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:38 pm

    @skopdiekan-220: Hey skopdieboer, apartheid is dead but for the likes of you trying your best to keep it alive.Maybe the klonkie (as you referred to Jantjies) yesterday with the letter on the stick has not yet arrived in the wild outback of Africa (vishoek) yet ,where the sharks and ******* roam free. The new in vogue struggle is for the justice and survival of the palestenian people. Is that maybe why you left, the hypocracy of what you are run to close to the bone in the promised land. If you really want to slay a dragon take up the sword against your own and show the world you are not just a bitter d>rol onder die brug.You and E.T. should meet up to work out a stategy to take this struggle forward I see he is also big on salads.

  • 533.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:39 pm

    @cab-521: He’s big enough for flank.. if he’s big enough for No.4 lock then he’s big enough for flank.. a modern day Frik Du Preez.. born and bred in WP and ripped off usurped and stolen by sharkshit profiteers…

  • 534.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:39 pm

    @skopdiekan-529: never played soccer in my life and don’t know anyone who has. Rugby is the main sport in Natal…. :-) You’ve been peddling that myth all week :-) Fibber.

  • 535.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:40 pm

    @jet jungle-532: he calls indians “cooliescreeps” …. this from a man who pretends not to be racist!

  • 536.jet jungle: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:41 pm

    To the Kings congratulations for you showed the world today what a team of all sorts can achieve when working together and fighting for and not against each other.

  • 537.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:41 pm

    @jet jungle-532: who the fck are you PW Botha’s ghost of wie.. ****** schmuckaroo.. you also hate Watsons with a passion.. I’m pretty certain that hoed will fit jou fckoff polisie kar dringende ossewa kring sentiments..??

  • 538.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:43 pm

    533 ja I think he could be a Frik DU Oreez is good comparison. I just wonder with that turn of speed and power through the tackle whether he shouldn’t be used on the wing – he looked like the spitting image of a young John Kirwan when scoring that disallowed try.

  • 539.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:43 pm

    @ShaunB-535: I call coolie-creeps cooliecreeps.. I got more Indian friends and acquaintances than you could ever dream to encounter…

  • 540.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:44 pm

    @cab-538: Not fast enough for wing .. but a very explosive speedy loose forward / 2nd row operative…

  • 541.mpundulu: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:44 pm

    @ShaunB-466: well why would my entry necessitate your response?

  • 542.jet jungle: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:45 pm

    @ShaunB-535: Typical settler mentality en net in SA is b>obbejaan hatespeech.

  • 543.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:46 pm

    @skopdiekan-525: Well, that took you long enough.
    Look at it this way: Ludik is the only player in the Sharks backline who didn’t make his provincial debut for the Sharks.
    Aplon, de Villiers and Groom are the only players in the Stormers backline who didn’t play for other provinces previously.
    That sounds pretty mercenary to me.

  • 544.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:46 pm

    @mpundulu-541: It’s not all about the Kings Pundie :-)

  • 545.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:47 pm

    @SpringbokSarah-531: well done and congrats to those spirited true South Africans your friends you are so proud of..

  • 546.jet jungle: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:49 pm

    @skopdiekan-537: Do not avoid the subject with your far out poetry dude. You are nothing but a bitter Don Quixote.

  • 547.SpringbokSarah: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:51 pm

    @skopdiekan-545: ag it was great and the vibe was amazing. They really needed this

  • 548.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:52 pm

    @kaksioek-543: what back line you comparing.. JPP should be playing for WP.. Habana can go back to Lions same as Jantjies to EP and Taute to GP

    I say again draw the line and let all those schooled and educated through junior rugby platforms and schooling go back to the franchise that taught them the game

    PSDT, Pollard, Hougaard, JPP, Sadie, etc and etc to come Home to WP and you get all your born and bred KZN stars to represent your outfit.. then we see who lands up where and who is classified mercenary and who not….

    You wont stay up in SR you can be guaranteed EP would whip you into oblivion and kick your soccer playing arses back to Sport Pienaar rugby.

  • 549.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:53 pm

    Kankowski, JP Pietersen, Frans Steyn, Beast, Mvovo, Lambie and Keegan Daniel are all products of the Sharks Academy.

  • 550.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 23:54 pm

    skopishit never answers the question, always a fib from him thrown into the mix too…

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