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, 11:39 am
@Transformation-717:
Thanks man, didn’t know he was poached from Selborne. Bendi nqa ba nguMxhosa otheni lo waseJHB udlala irugby…
24 Feb 2013, 11:39 am
@skopdiekan-525: In other words
who cares.? All South Africans
24 Feb 2013, 11:50 am
Forgot to congratulate the Loftus faithfull on Friday for their behavior when the opposition kicks at goal.
Well done, no boos or jeers and the chap on the PA actually asks them to refrain from doing it.
Maybe that’s what threw Elton off?
Now if only some of the supporters who visit other stadiums can also learn to do that
Again, well done to the Bulls, Sharks and Kings.
Nice to start with a win
24 Feb 2013, 11:59 am
What a debut by Sergeal Petersen!!! Player of the Craven week just LAST YEAR and MoM in his 1st senior match.
Let’s hope Jan Serfontein can do the same when he makes his debut at S15 level.
24 Feb 2013, 12:03 pm
@Dawn-685: Hi Dawn.Have a good day.
24 Feb 2013, 12:07 pm
@I am a stormer-747: wouldnt make a difference
SA rugby is k@K
24 Feb 2013, 12:12 pm
@nortierd-753:
Had a look at the replay of the Stormers match the next day. We all know the set pieces were a major area of concern. But I don’t think it is all doom and gloom just yet. There’s nothing that can’t be fixed.
To my mind, the lineouts are a crucial area to be worked on this coming week. Deon Fourie is clearly battling there. Your linout throwing has to be spot on especially when we have one of the best lineout exponents in world rugby. Lineout throwing is an art that has to be practised over and over because that is a source of primary possession and gets the loosies onto the front foot.
AC must realise that throwing into the lineout is not a pie throwing contest.
24 Feb 2013, 12:18 pm
@nama1-754: when i mentioned to some here that sergeal signing a 3yr contract with the Kings while being aggressively chased by moneybags from the “big unions” was already a coup for us, the usual suspects jumped in & claimed that them signing the “son of the prince of wings” was more newsworthy.
our local boytjie came through with flying colours…
24 Feb 2013, 12:19 pm
On the Sharks thread:
209.Dusky: Reply to this comment
23 Feb 2013, 19:05 pm
@nortierd-204: Unfortunately you had to go with your team which is understandable. I flippin hope you didn’t pick the Kings ? Sentiment is one thing, but reality is another. They will not beat the Force, unless a miracle happens. Are the Kings getting 15 points to start each game with ? They have been given so many other concessions, I would hardly be surprised.
I wonder if he will show his face today.
24 Feb 2013, 12:23 pm
@I am a stormer-757:
Yep, still a long way to go.
When will Tiaan or Scarra be ready.
I like the look of Scarra and would like to see him in the Super Rugby.
I like Deon and he did a great job in the CC, but he was out of his depth Friday
24 Feb 2013, 12:26 pm
@Transformation-758: would he have gotten a start at any of the other franchises?
Not on your nelly.
Great start by the young man and he has a great future ahead of him.
24 Feb 2013, 12:27 pm
@nama1-759:
Lol, I answered him on that.
I picked the wrong team by 12, but it was after the Griqua loss by the Kings that I started doubting them against the Force.
As for picking my side, wasn’t just loyalty, I went for the Bulls last year and got bit in the @rse, then went for Sharks in CC final and got another cheek bitten off.
I overestimated us and underestimated the Bulls.
Was a terrible weekend of predictions for me, only got the Brumbies and Sharks
So peed off I already put in my week 3 picks, reckon I can’t do worse
24 Feb 2013, 12:31 pm
@nama1-754: If Sergeal Petersen had been bought by the Usual Suspects, the Sharks or the Bulls, but even by the Stormers, Cheetahs or Lions, he would’ve just had to fall in line in long queues of gluttonous waste – being bought simply to deprive their competitors any prospect of utilising his talents.
The poor lad’s talents would probably have gone to waste & never been fully recognised, & after a year or two of disillusioned waiting, if he had any sense, he would’ve had to do as CJ & some others had to do, & “pak his koffertjie” for Ireland, Scotland or elsewhere …
That is the wastefulness of SA Rugby’s big 2 talent poachers – unlike a sensible hunter or fisherman they greedily over-exploit resources far beyond their own requirements, leading to long-run degeneration.
Hopefully other young talent will notice the fast-tracked opportunity the Kings’ elevation to SuperRugby has afforded Sergeal, & in due course avail themselves of this as well.
But it is not just the youngsters: the Brumbies franchise was started with mostly players surplus to Tahs & Reds’ requirements, & look where they are now – hopefully the diaspora of ex EP, Border & SWD players that fall out of favour will reverse as well.
24 Feb 2013, 12:33 pm
Poops when last have you had a date?
24 Feb 2013, 12:34 pm
@Transformation-758:
I saw that spat between you and our “blond, blue eyed Aryan” brother.
Wonder what he’ll say now. I guess it will be along the lines of, “but it was against the Force.”
24 Feb 2013, 12:35 pm
@Angostura-763: sharks should get him on a swap deal with Odwa.
24 Feb 2013, 12:41 pm
@Angostura-763:
Well said.
Young players need to realise that they have to build their own brand 1st in order for them to earn the big bucks. Look at a guy like Pollard who played Craven Week with Sergeal last year. reportedly earning more than R50k per month at the Bulls with only matric behind his name. sergeal probably earns less than a third of that but he is currently running with the big dogs.
That;s the way to go. Start small and build up from there.
24 Feb 2013, 12:46 pm
Watching the highlights of the Sharks/Cheetahs game.
Hondo probably enjoyed the try by Johan Sadie when he glided through between Beast and Mvovo.
24 Feb 2013, 12:50 pm
@Angostura-763:
Well said… And the biggest losers are EC youngsters, unfortunately.
24 Feb 2013, 13:10 pm
Angosutra is the only guppy supporter on this blog with any level of credibility. The other whitey arsehole degenerative denialist creeps like the apartheid riot cop pretending he’s an upright Christmas carol epidemic of virtuosity along with the snooty nosed colonic snake eye arsetralian white rugby for whitey only punky pricks are a dead and dying species in S.A. rugby circuits. Thank the good Lord of Christian upper crusading virtuosity for that.
24 Feb 2013, 13:14 pm
the boy has only played one game vs the force, just want to put that out there before some here think i’m annointing sergeal as the beezkneez…
24 Feb 2013, 13:16 pm
@Transformation-771:
You know what Transie
Good for him
Abbott has only played one test for the Proteas and is doing very well, so people are hailing him as the next best thing, so why not Seargal too?
The kid did great and long may he continue.
24 Feb 2013, 13:16 pm
They won a rugby match – that’s it. That’s all.
It’s not about how one starts, but how one finishes.
I sense a big fall about to come – perhaps this victory first ip was not the mana from heaven its proclaimed to be. Big tears yet.
24 Feb 2013, 13:16 pm
@nortierd-760:
Stormersboy had some answers quite a few posts back – reckons Tiaan will be back before Scarra. The latter underwen surgery so I don’t expect him back any time soon.
24 Feb 2013, 13:18 pm
@JohnSmit123: Just watched my recording of
Kings game,great start and how awesome
was that eastern cape crowd,32 000!!!
Amazing!
24 Feb 2013, 13:19 pm
@I am a stormer-774:
Pity, I like his enthusiasm and the way he plays.
Well if Tiaan can come back soon and not break down again, hopefully the line outs will go better
24 Feb 2013, 13:20 pm
That’s Angostura…not ‘Angosutra’ numbnuts.
24 Feb 2013, 13:22 pm
@cab-773:
I think most of the Kings supporters know that they will lose much more than what they will win.
That however is no reason NOT to celebrate the victories if/when they come along.
4 wins out of 16 will be a great achievement for them imo.
24 Feb 2013, 13:25 pm
@nama1-778:
Yes one must embrace mediocrity at every opportunity.
24 Feb 2013, 13:25 pm
Super proud of the Kings players. You go boys!
24 Feb 2013, 13:27 pm
@Transformation-775:
Was just about to ask if you know how many people there was at the game.
32 000!!! All of them Kings supporters.
It took the Lions three years to get that many Lions supporters to Coca Cola Park.
24 Feb 2013, 13:30 pm
@Predawn-779:
You mean like playing a Lions team that cannot win a single match?
That’s not mediocrity. That’s just plain piss-poor.
24 Feb 2013, 13:30 pm
@cab: indeed; it’s just one game BUT it is one game more than many of the so-called “honest rugby supporters” said we would win…remember d.ick muir’s 2010 lions? 13 played 13 lost.
24 Feb 2013, 13:42 pm
@ 783 trans
Exactly.
24 Feb 2013, 13:44 pm
Nama – def worth celebrating, but now expectations are high – 4 from 13 I think is way too optimistic, I thought they might sneak the first one on emotion but thereafter its going to be barren. But it’s a helluva win and worth celebrating.
Transfornation,
I dunno who the socalked honest rugby supporters are, whether the lions, bulls or kings win 1 or 0 matches a year seems largely irrelevant to me.
24 Feb 2013, 13:46 pm
@Transformation-783:
Enjoy it, you have the bragging right for 2 weeks, you are top of the SA Conference by deserving to be so, so anyone begrudging you your celebrations have sour grapes.
I have egg on my face, but you know what, we can still make an omelette with broken eggs so I am happy for you guys.
24 Feb 2013, 13:48 pm
@skopdiekan-770: Morning Skoppie. I didn’t watch the game but woke up this morning to the tremendous news. Fantastic, eh.
24 Feb 2013, 13:50 pm
@Transformation-783: EXACTLY!
24 Feb 2013, 13:54 pm
@cab: largely irrelevant to you maybe but not in the context of the conversations/arguments that dominate this forum.
as you were…
24 Feb 2013, 13:54 pm
2002 bulls played 11 lost 11
1999 bulls played 11 lost 10
2000 bulls played 11 lost 10
2002 sharkishits played 11 lost 10
2005 sharkishits played 11 lost 10
2002 lions played 11 lost 10
2004 lions played 11 lost 10
2006 lions played 11 lost 10
2010 lions played 13 lost 13
Anybody celebrates mediocrity gotta be supporting of those pathetic excuses of rugby capital capabilities.
Kings already surprised and surpassed Ghent feeble mediocrity dished up by bulls of 2002 and lions of 2010.
IN their FIRST GAME in SR !!
All they gotta do is draw or win one more game this season and they outrun the feeble useless mediocrity performed by Sharkishits of 2002 and 2005 plus all the mediocrity performances by Lions and Bulls through all the other years they scrubbed the bitter bottom of the log through only winning 1 measly mediocre game the entire season. And this After all their professional money profiteering and all their super rugby status was afforded all the opportunities to be better than they were.
The apartheid riot regimes register of duplicating intentions and indignation is the most feeble excuse for white rugby mediocrity in this country over the last decade and more.
24 Feb 2013, 13:57 pm
All i’m saying is its v easy to support a winning team – talk again after game no 5, If all still so supposedly ebullient.
24 Feb 2013, 14:02 pm
@skopdiekan-790:
Skop, you have the stats and no one can disagree with the past.
The difference, and it is a big one, is that those sides never had to play potential relegation matches when having their worst seasons.
If the Kings win another couple and surpass those sides you showed in win ratio’s, they still have the potential of not making it next year if they finish bottom and lose the relegation matches.
Therein lies the biggest problem for them
24 Feb 2013, 14:02 pm
Yeah mikeybrass #787
It’s a mighty cause for jubilation and celebration in spite of all the whitey doom and gloom anti Watson ant Kings anthem of choruses being sung by the professional products of promotion of mediocrity the Sharkishits sing along choruses and the bully brethren brekgats with the leeuser lions singing along in duplicating harmonic mediocre misery.
24 Feb 2013, 14:06 pm
History has been completed distorted as well.
The lions won the s10 in their second attempt – they’ve been in the currie cup for half the time as compared to ep and have won far more trophies, ep has never won a currie cup, ever – those are the facts if one wants to look at history.
24 Feb 2013, 14:08 pm
@Transie, congrats boet! 30k in the stadium, well done EC, Pe. Transie , the supporters must be there in numbers every home game, hope the kings marketing guys are working at that?
24 Feb 2013, 14:08 pm
@cab-791: this is my team, win or lose…i will be here after the foretold 50pt pastings…we are playing super rugby & noone can change it.
24 Feb 2013, 14:09 pm
@nama1-778:
yes, I posted on more than one occasion, that I anticipate the Kings to win 2, maybe max 3 matches this S15, plus pick up a few bonus points along the way. (bakkies replied that I’m an eternal optimist)
That could imply they avoid the S15 wooden spoon (but not necessarily so). I also stated that I don’t see the Kings avoiding the SA Conference wooden spoon (if they do, that would be a massive surprise). Lastly, I had previously mentioned that for the Kings, S15 2013 is an opportunity to learn, develop & gel as a team & to adjust to the demands of top tier rugby, so that comes Jul they are far more street smart & formidable than now so that they can be in with a fighting chance of beating the Lions in the promotion relegation play offs & thereby securing their elevation to S15 status, & THEN enabling them to implement their medium to long term plans for non racial rugby development in the feeder areas of the Southern Kings.
Meantime 2013 is all about S15 survival for the Kings, & they’ve only cleared the 1st of many hurdles – the play offs likely the final, main & toughest hurdle.
24 Feb 2013, 14:10 pm
What was concerning for me in the last 2 matches of the weekend was the massive difference in the application of the 5” rule. Kaplan forgot all about it and Lourens had a half-second rules, especially when the Force were in possession. Is this going to be another season where referees are inconsistent and spoil the game?
24 Feb 2013, 14:10 pm
Suurgat/bitterbekke everywhere today…esp the deluded lions supporters. Lol!
24 Feb 2013, 14:10 pm
Yes Norte Kings have been sold a dummy
Stormers were relegated in 1996 as a result of finishing out the top 4 in the domestic CC competition
None of Sharkishits Bulls or Lions or Cheetahs who have all finished stone last in previous competition had to defend their protected SR status with a promotion relegation play off at the end of the season. Had it been equal horses for courses then they most likely would have all been subject to at least a season or longer out the comp in the doggy box when their outright mediocrity was at its most prevalent.
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