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

  • 251.polaris: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:45 pm

    Please one more score, Kings, to be …. ahem … the leaders of the SA conference.

    Bwahahaha….

  • 252.kaalvoetklong in China: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:46 pm

    Or the forxe is k@k or Kings are trying to prove a point, either way well done so far hope they can stick it thru

  • 253.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:46 pm

    Who’s this Engelbrecht guy playing flank.

  • 254.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:46 pm

    @ET.-248:
    Great win by the Kings
    I didn’t expect it, but I am glad for them

  • 255.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:46 pm

    @ET.-248:

    Reality check coming March 9

  • 256.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:46 pm

    South African side with a dozen foreign players. Lets all high five for local player development.

  • 257.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:47 pm

    Never before has a team of honorary blacks brought such glory on themselves :lol: Brings a tear to the eye.

  • 258.Rage: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:47 pm

    Why does the ref refer to the Force as “blue” when they outfit is predominantly white?

  • 259.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:47 pm

    @Tacitus-223:
    I would have thought it proved, teams can lift on the big occasions…have a heart Tac…..

  • 260.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:48 pm

    @Jeraldjay-253:

    Didn’t he play for the Bulls or Griquas?

  • 261.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:48 pm

    Don’t know why St Andre selects that useless Gupta guppy yuppie reject Sharkishit mercenary Michalak. He wouldn’t have lost to Italy or Wales or England if he’d left that useless Sharkishits reject in the lazy last bastion banana ramping plantation.

  • 262.fantasticbarnsmell: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:48 pm

    Well I’m convinced, voted Kings in the current poll

  • 263.CharlesM: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:49 pm

    @stormersboy-250: Hi SB, and we’ll be at the bottom!! We’ll hear about that a lot during the following week!

  • 264.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:49 pm

    Suurgat galbekke

  • 265.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:49 pm

    @Predawn-256:

    Trassie gaan homself in ‘n koma in skommel vir die volgende twee weke oor hierdie wen

  • 266.roobarb2: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:49 pm

    en wat se die suurgatte nou?

    discipline, defence and good basic ball skills, as well as strong runners and good offloads. Solomons influence is showing.

    they are going to win this.

    and they will cause a LOT of red faces this season.

  • 267.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:49 pm

    @Te Rangatira-259:
    Listen to TR everybody
    He speaks with authority.
    Being nr. 1 in the Keo pool gives credence to one’s voice
    :-D

  • 268.Tin Tin: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:49 pm

    Hey! Arseh o l e s!

  • 269.Rage: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:50 pm

    @ 253 jjay

    Not entirely sure but I think he played for SWD for a season or 2 before joining EP…he’s having a very good game so far isn’t he?

  • 270.fantasticbarnsmell: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:50 pm

    @skopdiekan-261: The substitutions lost them that match

  • 271.Ngqawa: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:50 pm

    Kings already better than the 2012 Lions.
    Suck on that haters!!!!!

  • 272.Sharks_are_gonna_get_you: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:50 pm

    Well done KIngs, showed big heart, yes we can say Force was KAK, but you can only play whats in front of you.

    Congrats.

  • 273.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:51 pm

    @stormersboy-250:
    YEP….I’m on a roll….all comes down to the analysis and buying the right tea leaves…

  • 274.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:51 pm

    @CharlesM-263:

    Will you be below the Cheetahs?

  • 275.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:51 pm

    @skopdiekan-261:
    Ha ha
    Brilliant
    :-D

  • 276.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:51 pm

    Well done Brumbies, Sharks, Bulls…sorry France.

  • 277.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:51 pm

    @skopdiekan-261: Oh, I don’t know – perhaps because he was man of the match in all of France’s Autumn Tests, including the one in which they thumped Australia?

  • 278.CharlesM: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:52 pm

    @Rage-269: Yes I think you are correct

  • 279.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:52 pm

    I had the wrong team by 12
    :oops:

  • 280.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:53 pm

    @nortierd-279:

    Same here

  • 281.victoriabok: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:54 pm

    The Force would get beaten by most Vodacom sides

  • 282.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:54 pm

    #265….and still no one listens to a single illiterate word it spews. ;-)

  • 283.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:54 pm

    @CharlesM-263: Indeed. That will be bandied about quite a bit i expect. Some tough calls for AC this week. He has to think long and hard about a few positions, 2, 10 and 15 particularly.

  • 284.mxhosa: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:54 pm

    SP Marais, Sergeal Petersen, Jacques Engelbrecht, Steven Sykes take a bow!!! Honourable mention for Ronnie Cooke, Demeri and Wimpie vd Walt…

  • 285.Guns: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:54 pm

    Good stuff Kings, they need to build some depth, long road ahead.

    Force not the same without Pocock.

  • 286.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:54 pm

    The Kings proved me wrong today, didn’t think they would win, so well done Kings and well done Kings supporters.
    You deserve this one

  • 287.CharlesM: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:55 pm

    @victoriabok-274: Yes the Cheetahs got a bonus point

  • 288.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:55 pm

    @Rage-269:

    Its between Engelbrecht and Maku for man of the match.

  • 289.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:56 pm

    Sykes has put his heart and soul into this Kings fairytale adventure unlike the rest of his pseudo apartheid loving garbage Sharkishits snake eyed last bastion lousy leeuser lout profiteers.

  • 290.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:56 pm

    @victoriabok-274: Cheetahs got a bonus point.

  • 291.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:56 pm

    Well done the Kings. I questioned their state of readiness for Super Rugby. Even though it was only the Force. But a win is a win.

  • 292.nortierd: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:56 pm

    Great commitment by the Kings

  • 293.fantasticbarnsmell: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:56 pm

    @nortierd-286: Well said, Kings fans should be pleased

  • 294.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:57 pm

    Lovely.

    This king side will beat the stormers

  • 295.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:57 pm

    WoW!!
    Fantastic Kings!!
    Great stuff, the Baai is going to cook tonight.

  • 296.RL: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:57 pm

    Well done Kings.

    A well deserved victory over the pathetic Force.

  • 297.Rage: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:58 pm

    The Kings just showed a middle finger to 90% of my fellow keolings…kry vi julle kerels…Well done Kings.

    Transie and all other fans, enjoy and get properly wasted…this might be the first and last victory you get to celebrate:)

  • 298.Dilligafrican: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:58 pm

    Embarrassing performance by Force. This will so wonders for the queens’ confidence.

    For a while.

  • 299.Angostura: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:58 pm

    Huge performances by Steven Sykes, Jacques Engelbrecht, Sergeal Peterson & SP Marais

    Wonderful day!!! WOW

    **

    100-plus scores? WATWOU! WAT NOU!

  • 300.ET.: Reply to this comment
    23 Feb 2013, 20:58 pm

    Gutsy defense and a marvelous victory for for the red and black hoops.

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