Long live the Kings
25 Feb 2013
MARK KEOHANE, in Business Day, writes the Kings turned a night of potential ruin into a night to remember.
They played in black but it was all Grey when it came to the Southern Kings historic and winning Super Rugby debut in Port Elizabeth.
Grey High School, academically and culturally strong, is also Port Elizabeth’s most renowned sporting and rugby institution.
Kings Director of Rugby Alan Solomons was schooled at Grey. Kings captain Luke Watson went to Grey and Saturday night’s two-try wing wonder Sergeal Petersen finished matric at Grey High just three months ago. The past, present and future of the region were all primary to a victory for the Southern and Eastern Cape, for South African rugby and for the country.
This was indeed a victory for the locals made possible by locals. It was a momentous occasion that demanded celebration and the necessary outpouring of emotion.
The Kings, as a squad, are limited in pedigree but not in passion.
The haters of the Kings called the team an embarrassment to South African rugby. This was before kick-off.
Those haters again displayed every quality of a bully and coward and stayed clear of social media forums on Saturday night. They would have taken the Kings 22-10 win against Australia’s Western Force personally. It is their way.
The haters will be back this week with boasts that the Kings won’t win again this season. This distorted thinking will give credence to their vindictiveness.
The haters don’t see the Lions winning 15 from 90 Super Rugby matches and losing 17 in succession as an embarrassment. The haters don’t recall the Bulls winning two out of 22 matches in Heyneke Meyer’s first two years as a Super Rugby coach. The haters don’t remember the Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks, Cats, Stormers and Bulls all taking 50-plus point beatings in the history of the tournament.
Never have so many South Africans done such a disservice to a South African Rugby franchise.
The argument that Super Rugby participation has to be earned is flawed. How did the Rebels and Force earn the right to play in the competition? They were included to grow the game in Australia.
The Sharks (as Natal) were given Currie Cup status in an expanded structure and went onto become the most successful South African province a decade later.
Griquas and the Pumas, as two examples, were given Currie Cup status by way of another expansion from six to eight teams.
The Kings were reluctantly and resentfully officially declared participants in the 2013 Super Rugby season in August 2012, and there was no guarantee beyond one season.
Few players of Super Rugby quality were willing to leave other provinces in South Africa or return from Europe to play for a region in which uncertainty was the only certainty.
It was assumed – among the anti Kings’ contingent – that the shame of defeat in every match would dull enthusiasm for Super Rugby in the region. It was never a consideration the Kings would lead the South African Conference after the first round of matches.
The Kings on a historic night in our rugby played without a jersey sponsor. They were made to feel like paupers.
They were treated like renegades and played like revolutionaries. They turned a night of potential ruin into a night to remember.
Brumbies loose-forward David Pocock tweeted his best wishes to the Southern Kings on Saturday afternoon and wished them all the best.
The Zimbabwean-born captain of the Wallabies, a man of integrity and substance, who has never forgotten his African roots and who once tweeted he never missed an issue of South African Rugby Magazine as a youngster, cared enough to known what the Kings would mean to the future of the game in Southern Africa.
Pocock, in 140 characters, showed more goodwill to the Kings than the National Governing Body has done in the last 140 months.
Cheeky Watson, an activist against apartheid in South Africa, continues to fight apartheid in South African Rugby. He refused and refuses to compromise on the Kings’ presence in a unified South African Rugby landscape.
It makes him unpopular to a cultural minority. So too Solomons, who four years ago committed to a 10 year plan to restore rugby’s respect within the region.
One of the greatest nights in our unified rugby history was also the saddest because it showed – not how far we have come in unity – but just how far we need to go.
All hail the Kings. Long live the Kings.
Respect
526 Comments
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25 Feb 2013, 14:04 pm
@rossoneri-226: Prima donna syndrome…..seriously…they played the boring drivel last year and probably believed that Taute, Jantjes and Cilliers were all that was required to take the next step….
Stormers are very windgat in my opinion…….they have the talent but lack the grit and determination to really be considered a threat…..I have seen this movie over and over again…..
25 Feb 2013, 14:05 pm
So.
At this stage all realistic expectations are:
Sharks, Bulls, Cheetahs, Stormers, Kings
Nice.
25 Feb 2013, 14:05 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-246:
Those big island boys from Auckland are dying to have a crack at your Bully boys, unless you subdue them early they’re gonna carve you up.
25 Feb 2013, 14:07 pm
@shooter-244:
Let me know what else…… I am not worthy, I am a worm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-248:
Ok, I expected Morne to come back better in the SR, still disagree with HM for dragging him on the EYT though, though some extra R&R was deserved.
I’m glad he had a good game and Lambie was solid in the kicking department as well, so it all bodes well for the Boks.
25 Feb 2013, 14:08 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-227:
Jantjies outplayed himself more than anything.
Was a lame performance overall from Stormers though so we could do this with most players who started that game.
25 Feb 2013, 14:08 pm
@Peter Mkata-191: re Luke, don’t forget to add short
25 Feb 2013, 14:09 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-241:
So, are you saying that it was only Stormers supporters who thrashed him last year when he was kak for the BOKKE?
@gunther-242:
Don’t know those prayers.
25 Feb 2013, 14:14 pm
The kings played well that win was no fluke , anyone who watched the game will tell you that they played like a team in its 4th or 5th season. The only people who are unhappy have strangely been some Saffas.
Western force are not a bad team they just came up against a better side.
Whether or not the kings win another game is irrelevant they’ve already done better than the lions and there is still at least 15 games to go , I for one will make and effort to catch all their games based on what they’ve shown so far.
They could very well upset any team in the comp im picking them to do a number on the bulls on the 20th of April. #GoTheKings
25 Feb 2013, 14:17 pm
@boktillzero-258:
Mat Sexton was a very good Crusaders hooker in his day and now he has the Kings playing like a NZ side, exactly what the SA conference needs a bit of flair.
25 Feb 2013, 14:17 pm
@shooter-256:
He’s a little teapot
Short and stout,
Here is his handle,
Here is his spout ,
When he gets all steamed up,
Hear him shout,
Tip him over and pour him out!
25 Feb 2013, 14:18 pm
@nama1-257: I never said that, I said you okes. which refers to some bloggers in here.
25 Feb 2013, 14:20 pm
@gunther-260: So Luke walks into a bar and asks the barman, what’s Keo short for?
25 Feb 2013, 14:21 pm
@nortierd-254: I agree MOrne should not have gone on tour, but you are missing my point.
I have said, and it goes for those that always trash Morne, I do not recall giving a specific persons name, and simply put that if a player plays poorly and you say so, atleast have the nuts to praise when that same player plays well?? that is all i said.
25 Feb 2013, 14:24 pm
@gunther-260:
25 Feb 2013, 14:24 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-263: It’s called ominous dread syndrome…. the Morne haters are having bad dreams again.
25 Feb 2013, 14:25 pm
@gunther-260:
I see you are inhaling my exhaust fumes on bru AND the fantasy league.
25 Feb 2013, 14:28 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-263:
He played kak for the BOKKE. I’ll praise when he plays well for the BOKKE.
I don’t care much how he plays when playing for the Bulls.
25 Feb 2013, 14:29 pm
@NZINCHINA-259: Wasn’t that nice to watch. Some entertaining rugby.
25 Feb 2013, 14:29 pm
@nama1-266:
I haven’t got my wheels up on the fantasy league.
I still need to pick a team.
As for the bru the super 15 is not won in feb.
Your record speaks for itself.
25 Feb 2013, 14:29 pm
Enjoying this writing off of the Stormers in Round 2 only. Where was it before the season started?
Still early days boys relax.
25 Feb 2013, 14:31 pm
Gonna have to save this thread and many posts here for after the first century points difference rogering the Kings take…
Fark, the emo woe is me will be worse than the average post Stormer loss…
That will be farken funny…
25 Feb 2013, 14:34 pm
@gunther-269:
Still better than yours though.
25 Feb 2013, 14:34 pm
@nama1-266: Which fantasy league?
25 Feb 2013, 14:35 pm
@rossoneri-268:
Yip that’s why we watch the game to be entertained.
25 Feb 2013, 14:39 pm
@nama1-272:
Not historically.
Lets chat at the end of season when you resume your usual position amongst the ugle the dumb and the criminally insane.
25 Feb 2013, 14:41 pm
if msteyn is just going to hoof everything skywards the bulle will get punished by teams with shrewd counter-attacking options…
25 Feb 2013, 14:43 pm
@Sasuke-273:
/-)
Less said about round 2 ‘s pick the better.
I was so irritated I already made my round 3 picks Saturday night, reckon I can’t really do worse.
25 Feb 2013, 14:44 pm
@Sasuke-273:
Keo has one. There are prizes to be won apparently.
25 Feb 2013, 14:45 pm
@Transformation-276: you must watch a bit hey, he does passes.
25 Feb 2013, 14:49 pm
What’s the bookie odds on Sergeal the Seagull Petersen to score most tries in S15
25 Feb 2013, 14:49 pm
According to the Blue Bulls’ website, Dewald Potgieter (knee, 3 to 4 weeks), JJ Engelbrecht (hip flexor, 10 days) and Deon Stegmann (hamstring, 10 days) are all out of the Loftus Versfeld clash due to injuries sustained against the Stormers last weekend
25 Feb 2013, 14:49 pm
@nama1-278: Pizzas for all!
25 Feb 2013, 14:50 pm
@nortierd-277: Dude tell me about it! I was disgusted! Too scared to make picks now! I will wait until the last minute!
@nama1-278: Oh yes thats correct, forgot to check my points there.
25 Feb 2013, 14:51 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-281: Stegmann, there’s one guy who won’t make my fantasy team… i thought he broke himself at every tackle. That type of commitment I guess not good for league points……..
25 Feb 2013, 14:52 pm
@Sasuke-273:
Click on the ad under the article.
@gunther-275:
History will show that at the end of round 2, you were sucking hindtit…splittering and splattering on my exhaust fumes, gasping for air.
@nortierd-277:
Round 3:
Blues vs Saders
Tahs vs Rebels
Sharks vs Stormers
Will be difficult to choose.
Reds, Chiefs and Bulls are probably bankers.
25 Feb 2013, 14:54 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-281: yeah Stormers F’effed them up proper!
Although it takes little to injure Steggies, you just have to sneeze on him and his out for 4 weeks.
25 Feb 2013, 14:54 pm
@nama1-285:
Blues to take the Crusaders.
25 Feb 2013, 14:58 pm
@nama1-285:
Went for Canes over Reds
Using the dartboard, eyes closed and gut feel method.
Saders, Tah’s and Sharks, Bulls, Chiefs.
25 Feb 2013, 14:59 pm
@nama1-285:
Is this your converted Ricoffee tin sports exhaust?
Like I said we know how this will end.
With Gunther in first class snorting gak off Kim Kardashian’s twin peaks and Nama in steerage being puked on by a ginger toddler bearing a remarkable resemblance to Brok.
Take a snapshot Nams.
Even the bad days are good.
25 Feb 2013, 15:03 pm
@NZINCHINA-287:
I have that feeling.
25 Feb 2013, 15:04 pm
@NZINCHINA-287:
I think so too.
Saders sometimes are slow starters and with Mc Caw not there, I think the Blues should take this. However the Saders’ record in the competition leads one to not be 100% sure.
25 Feb 2013, 15:05 pm
@Sasuke-286:
You know, I’ve started to think that the value a franchise sees in particular players may not be linked purely to their top skill level, but also to their durability.
Take Werner Kruger, for example. I don’t particularly rate his scrummaging ability, but the commentators mentioned on Friday that this was probably the first time in his career that they’ve seen him leave the field injured.
So the value for money the Bulls have been getting for his salary has been like 60 or 70 games, whereas the likes of Potgieter and Stegmann are out for about half of every season.
So steady performers that don’t get injured are probably worth as much or more than great performers who only play half of every season. Like Chilliboy, for example, who is incredibly injury prone.
So the key is probably to get the right combination of steady vs great but injury prone.
25 Feb 2013, 15:05 pm
@NZINCHINA-287:
@gunther-290:
Well guys, me picking the Crusaders have made it official.
The Blues will win.
Call it Nortier’s Superbru kiss of death
25 Feb 2013, 15:08 pm
@nortierd-293:
We’ll need HG and Keo to pick them as wen to make it official.
25 Feb 2013, 15:08 pm
If the Stormers lose at King’s Park and again against the Chiefs in Cape Town, I reckon they will have a huge task ahead of them for the rest of the competition.
To have a chance of topping the log you cannot really lose more than 3 games, I reckon. That will mean that the Stormers can’t lose anything else for the rest of the campaign, which is a tall order.
25 Feb 2013, 15:08 pm
@nortierd-288:
That’s one way of selecting them.
I think I’ll go with the home teams this week.
@gunther-289:
Hahaha…we’ll see Gunther…we’ll see.
25 Feb 2013, 15:09 pm
@Tacitus-292:
Indeed.
It’s a very well having a Ferrari on your driveway but pointless if it spends its entire life with its bonnet in the air.
25 Feb 2013, 15:11 pm
@gunther-290:
@nama1-291:
@nortierd-293:
Without wanting to repeat myself lol GH is a master tactician and his input for the Blues this year will be significant , the last time he was involved in a technical role the Blues won the title they won’t this year but they are going to roll plenty of teams this year.
25 Feb 2013, 15:12 pm
@Tacitus-295:
Are you talking about the overall log or the conference log?
25 Feb 2013, 15:12 pm
@gunther-51:
Omar Shariff to play Hoskins
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