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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23 Feb 2013, 19:57 pm
@Predawn-149:
Hulle speel “Eye of the tiger” in die stadium, Cheeky “root” vir Mr T
23 Feb 2013, 19:57 pm
The Force will be looking for at least 3 more tries in the second half.
23 Feb 2013, 19:58 pm
Nicholas Mas still an yster – destroying England scrum
23 Feb 2013, 19:59 pm
@ET.-136: Oh and by the way, I’m actually backing the Kings players. And only the players. as ivestated twice on the site this evening.
I’m just surprised at the crowds disrespect. Would you care to explain yours?
23 Feb 2013, 20:00 pm
@victoriabok-151:
VB
Pleks jy jou 100 plus plekke se Klimt in die Superbru celebrate nou kom praat jy n klomp tjol hier.
Baie geluk, jy het n great naweek sover
23 Feb 2013, 20:01 pm
I can’t quite understand the hype surrounding this England team, they were beaten at home last year by a fairly ordinary Bok team
23 Feb 2013, 20:01 pm
Very gutsy first-half performance from the newboys, Kings.
Whatever happens beyond this point, there will be many people on this thread and site feeling very stupid because of their claims (100 plus scorelines etc.) all seeped in blatant racism and the hatred which flows from it..
23 Feb 2013, 20:02 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell-156:
Their win over the AB’s gave them a lot of confidence.
They are playing quite well and building.
Could be tricky at home during the WC in 2015
23 Feb 2013, 20:06 pm
@John Guilt-154:
Just shows how confused and conflicted you racist F U Kkers are.
Or is that support coming totally out of FEAR even as you abide your S.African time in KWAZULU?
How many guns in your home?
I have not ever handled a gun and will be pleased not to for the rest of my life.
23 Feb 2013, 20:07 pm
The Kings will be a well drilled team under Solly’s guidance and no matter what anyone says about Luke, he was never a kak player.
23 Feb 2013, 20:08 pm
#151 If Sheeke’ had anything to do with Rocky 3 Sly Stallone would have had to start with a points deduction and one arm tied behind his back…and shortened the fight to 10 rounds…all for the previously disadvantaged.
23 Feb 2013, 20:09 pm
@nortierd-158: Ya that is true, they will be tough at home in 2015
23 Feb 2013, 20:10 pm
Luke is a huge loss – very good player & inspirational captain
Go Kings
23 Feb 2013, 20:10 pm
@John Guilt-154:
Can one disrespect a sub-human?
Is that your animalistic European sensitivities showing. How could you have such when you are so conversant with the scums of Millwall
23 Feb 2013, 20:10 pm
Do the commentators have a contractual obligation to talk up the Kings?
23 Feb 2013, 20:11 pm
Try England
23 Feb 2013, 20:12 pm
Bring on Hadleigh Parkes…..the Auckland boy will bring it home for the Kings
23 Feb 2013, 20:12 pm
@Angostura-163: like KP, Michael Clarke and Graeme Smith – both quality bowlers who are ranked in the top 100.
23 Feb 2013, 20:12 pm
Sacre le bleu, did zu see zhat?
Go Frogs!!!
23 Feb 2013, 20:12 pm
England taking control. France are kaaak.
23 Feb 2013, 20:12 pm
@Angostura-163:
You should be thoroughly enjoying the passion and the motivation of mostly inexperienced players at this level?
23 Feb 2013, 20:13 pm
@Tacitus-165: from what I can gather they are PE born.
23 Feb 2013, 20:13 pm
Ugh jammy stuff
23 Feb 2013, 20:14 pm
Got England by 9
At least my 6 Nations is looking good, Super Rugby, no comment!
23 Feb 2013, 20:14 pm
Kings are playing well. Where all those snake eyed slithering slimy Sharkishit guppy yuppie crooked creeps who looking for degenerative anti Watson anti Kings agendas to bolster their own pathetic faking snake eyed agendas?
Melbourne Rebels were smacked silly in their opening super rugby encounterwith all their 10 international imports. Kings have started with far more promise against a pretty competitive professional Aussie outfit who took Rebels close last week.
23 Feb 2013, 20:15 pm
This Force team is kak.
23 Feb 2013, 20:16 pm
@RL-168: go back to my original post & look what I said (but your reading skill & cognitive ability seriously limited, ne!)
23 Feb 2013, 20:17 pm
I suddenly have a hankering for snake eye whisky pardner.
23 Feb 2013, 20:17 pm
@ET.-157:
no, its coming… the “100 plus scorelines etc” are coming… trust me…
23 Feb 2013, 20:18 pm
@ET.-171: Yes, this is very exciting, thx E.T.
23 Feb 2013, 20:18 pm
@Angostura-177: de Lange played 1 match and is ranked at #70 – get it with your convict man love.
23 Feb 2013, 20:18 pm
France still in it England got a lucky try off a loose kick through ball. France playing most of the rugby.
23 Feb 2013, 20:18 pm
Snorefest….
23 Feb 2013, 20:19 pm
Transie your Sergeal Pietersen cannot tackle.
23 Feb 2013, 20:21 pm
2012 result Lions vs Force
Two second-half tries have secured the Western Force a scrappy 17-11 Super Rugby victory over the Lions at Perth’s nib Stadium to avoid an embarrassing loss to the bottom-placed South African team.
Kings not doing bad against them.
Force is not too bright, but you can only play what is in front of you.
23 Feb 2013, 20:22 pm
England patiently wearing France down.
23 Feb 2013, 20:22 pm
@nortierd-155:
Dankie, ek het geworry oor die Bulls
23 Feb 2013, 20:22 pm
@skopdiekan-182:
Yes, but England’s secret weapon is on, none other than Freddie Le Sharke
23 Feb 2013, 20:23 pm
Lourens van der Merwe such a cheat.
23 Feb 2013, 20:23 pm
@nortierd-188:
As I speak he knocks on while the Frogs are on attack
23 Feb 2013, 20:24 pm
Come Kings show these fckup punky excuses of antique decrepit apartheid desiring creeps what outright second grade 2 face last bastion punks they are.
23 Feb 2013, 20:24 pm
The kings are ahead. And another dodgy call for that yellow card.
23 Feb 2013, 20:25 pm
Freddie’s mind is in Umhlanga where the hot chicks and best clubs are. France will never be the same for him.
23 Feb 2013, 20:27 pm
@ET.-157: So having no respect for the Watsons and finding that it’s wrong that they want to field 5 foreign players instead of the local crop who this whole opportunity was about and that the team made into the competition without having to prove themselves makes me racist? The issues I have with the inclusion Kings and how this was all handled by administrators are surely good points. The fast majority of ppl saying the Kings are going to lose have nothing against the players themselves, but the sour taste of how it was done and the only player they don’t like is Puke Watson. I think you need to get out from under your rock and actually start reading and learning what the actually points of concern are etc.
23 Feb 2013, 20:27 pm
Force is terrible, which helps the Kings. But the Kings are not too bad. Good first game for them.
23 Feb 2013, 20:27 pm
After that last penalty I’m surprised the kings players didn’t give the ref a ^5 as well.
23 Feb 2013, 20:28 pm
@John Guilt-144:
Because you have no case to present in defense of your initial comment of the crowd you resort to deflect with an outright lie with this garbage (albeit in rank bad, nonsensical English :
” Hows your prediction often Pakistanis rolling the Proteas going? ”
“often”? Really?
I bet my Cape home that you cannot reproduce such a post, ever.
Amazing how my stiffer opposition becomes your “often Pakistanis rolling”(sic) – whatever that means. But many here know well that apartheid supporters are extremely prone to lying(hand in glove situation).
Go ply your hatred on your European continent. It is better suited there
23 Feb 2013, 20:28 pm
I didn’t know the Force stood for Third Force? You learn something new every day I tell you.
23 Feb 2013, 20:28 pm
YES….Kings
23 Feb 2013, 20:29 pm
Sergeal Petersen again!
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