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

Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 19 » Show All

  • 101.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:38 pm

    Willie Roos is such a bad ref.

  • 102.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:38 pm

    Nope looks like kings pack losing it already

  • 103.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:39 pm

    crowds gone very quiet

  • 104.Slappes: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:39 pm

    @Robzim, yip Luke’s having a Stormer. The suurgat/bitterbekke will be fuming.

  • 105.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:39 pm

    Geez, he even looked reluctant to give it after the TMO said he could, not good

  • 106.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:39 pm

    except for the boos of course

  • 107.RL: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:39 pm

    Useless queens scrum – Turbo reversing

    fatties are all finished and now the flood gates to open for the Force.

  • 108.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:40 pm

    PE crowd are the Milwall of the S15.
    Bunch of boorish yobs.

  • 109.Petri: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:40 pm

    Looks like Sias gave Goodwin some kicking tips

  • 110.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:40 pm

    Lourens van der Merwe is such a cheat.

    Doing his best to keep the Kings competitive against the uber kak Force.

  • 111.Dilligafrican: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:40 pm

    This oke kicks as kak as Jantjoes

  • 112.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:43 pm

    One of the few times I support the Aussies…my how times have changed.

  • 113.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:43 pm

    A couple more tries for the Force and we’re gonna see flying bottles and perhaps a pitch invader or two from the crowd that have been sold unrealistic expectations by Cheeky’s propaganda team.

  • 114.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:43 pm

    flood gates have opened

  • 115.Rage: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:44 pm

    Unfortunately **** is getting real for the Kings now.

  • 116.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:44 pm

    See McDonalds are sponsoring the Force.
    Don’t be surprised to see Ollie Le Roux come out of retirement to play for them.

  • 117.Rage: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:44 pm

    @ 113
    Lol

  • 118.Petri: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:44 pm

    Change of kicker and thats an even worse kick

  • 119.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:45 pm

    reckon the force will take this by about 40 in the end.

  • 120.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:46 pm

    bye puke, so long.

  • 121.Slappes: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:46 pm

    The lions wouldve lost this game by 30+ , definitely better quality from the kings!

  • 122.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:46 pm

    Het Luke naar geword?

  • 123.Dilligafrican: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:47 pm

    Daar kak Lukas. And it wasn’t a dutchie that did it either.

  • 124.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:47 pm

    Well, Luke stayed on as long as there was glory to be had. With sh*t getting real for the Kings, he makes a hasty retreat for an early shower.

  • 125.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:47 pm

    @Tacitus-113: schadefreude?

  • 126.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:48 pm

    Three mil for thirty minutes on the pitch?

  • 127.Petri: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:48 pm

    @ShaunB-119: the way they are kicking 40 points are 8 tries

  • 128.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:48 pm

    Cant understand why this crowd is so aggressive.
    You’d think they would be a little more respectful given the fact they’re actually watching live S15 rugby.

  • 129.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:48 pm

    Trannie you not at the game?

  • 130.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:49 pm

    @Tacitus-124:

    Well planned, now Cheeky can claim they lost without their “inspiring captain”

  • 131.RL: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:49 pm

    Puke is off for good – chickened out with a sore throat :roll:

  • 132.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:49 pm

    @Tacitus-124: lol!

  • 133.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:49 pm

    Someone pour a bucket of kots on puke as he leaves the field. Come on man !

  • 134.RL: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:50 pm

    actually Pukey took one to the (glass) jaw

  • 135.Dilligafrican: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:50 pm

    @Tacitus-129: gone to give Puke his towel

  • 136.ET.: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:50 pm

    @John Galt-108:

    John Guilt, and you base that conclusion on what?
    Your hatred because that cricketer from that area, Robin Peterson, has made you look so so very stupid and consistently so recently and beyond?

    Are home-sides not vociferously and emotionally supported by home fans.

    With such persistently expressed hatred why don’t you just simply f’ck out of all AFRICA.

  • 137.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:50 pm

    Engelbrecht looks v good – shoulda been on for start

  • 138.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:51 pm

    @Dusky-133:

    Sal daai hou op sy keel tel vir ‘n PPK?

  • 139.RL: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:51 pm

    @Tacitus-129: in Zwide sitting in a shebeen.

  • 140.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:51 pm

    Jissus I tell you this ref is doing everything in his power to help the Kings

  • 141.cab: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:52 pm

    Watson should be at 8 or open side with this engelbrecht at blindside. Kings back line looks dangerous , fullback is outstanding

  • 142.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:53 pm

    @victoriabok-138: ja maar ek wil he iemand moet hom uit moer. Hy moet bietjie slaap.

  • 143.ShaunB: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:53 pm

    @ET.-136: relax fool, you are not in africa so you have no right to tell someone to leave by the way.

  • 144.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:53 pm

    @ET.-136:
    Hey ET.

    How are you?

    Nope have many good friends from EC. And I don’t hate Robbie Boy, I just think he’s an average spinner. Very average.
    Hows your prediction often Pakistanis rolling the Proteas going? Haha.
    Have a good evening.

  • 145.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:53 pm

    @Dusky-142:

    Hy lyk maar bietjie dik, betaal hulle hom per kg?

  • 146.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:54 pm

    Wonder how Griquas would do against this Force team.

  • 147.Petri: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:54 pm

    Really dumb by Strauss

  • 148.fantasticbarnsmell: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:54 pm

    Joh some serious dislike for the Kings in this place

  • 149.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:55 pm

    How do they support in Pukeland? Does someone usually get stabbed to symbolise the province? Maybe the odd shooting at the opposition team to make things interesting.

  • 150.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 19:55 pm

    @Tacitus-146:

    We play them next week at Loftus

Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 19 » Show All

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