Chiefs cut down courageous Kings
15 Mar 2013
The Chiefs won in Port Elizabeth but the Kings continue to win respect through courage and conviction.
Super Rugby’s 2012 champions were made to fight for the 35-24 bonus point victory and their decision to twice kick for posts in the last three minutes was acknowledgement of the Kings’ effort.
The Chiefs led 18-13 at half-time and stretched the lead to 32-13 on the hour before the Kings produced an inspired 10 minutes to reduce the deficit to just eight points.
Many predicted humiliation for the Kings pre the season and in the last two weekends the Kings have played last season’s finalists and won huge favour with their commitment.
Home ground advantage and the emotion of playing in front of a passionate crowd has aided the Kings, but they really are struggling for quality players and already they have a handful of frontline players to injury.
It didn’t get any better on Friday when stand-in captain Darron Nell got hurt in the warm-up. Lock Steven Sykes took over the captaincy and he also left the field in the 60th minute. The Kings, in three matches, have had three captains. The attrition rate will only get higher for a team who have already won the hearts of the Kiwis and Australian neutrals because of their passion and refusal to be intimidated.
A week ago the Kings kept the 2012 finalists, the Sharks, tryless but they were always going to be stretched against the more creative Chiefs backs, for whom winger Leila Masaga scored a hat-trick.
Chiefs fullback Gareth Anscombe kicked well and Liam Messam celebrated his 100th Super Rugby appearance with victory. But the greatest roar again belonged to teenage winger Sergeal Pietersen who scored through an intercept.
Demetri Catrikilis also impressed as did No 8 Jacques Engelbrecht.
The Kings leave for New Zealand on Sunday and while they will struggle in the month overseas the side has exceeded expectation in the opening month of tournament in beating the Force and losing to the Sharks (by nine points) and the Chiefs (by 11 points).
By Mark Keohane
481 Comments
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15 Mar 2013, 21:02 pm
The reef ghavew a penalty for numbers in the line-out. Wasn’t that rule scrapped before the RWC Lottery? Chiefs happy to take the kick.
15 Mar 2013, 21:02 pm
@Dusky-131: It’s also the home ground of Maritzburg United FC now.
15 Mar 2013, 21:02 pm
The Kings are honestly inspirational beyond belief. I know I say the same thing every week, but they are.
And each and every member of that squad deserves applause.
Very cool to see the haters quiet……….very cool indeed.
(And HG and co….don’t bother ‘supporting’ the Kings now…….)
15 Mar 2013, 21:02 pm
Well played Kings!
The next part will get very tough though! I don’t know how many guys have in fact toured overseas: not an easy assignment to put it mildly!
Good luck Kings!
15 Mar 2013, 21:03 pm
Well, say what you will – the Kings surprise on the upside again, & they make South Africa proud
Sorry for some (they know who the are): No defence only (but in fact 2 tries scored against the champs), no floodgates opening, no cricket score, & no s_hit that got real (except maybe for them, the naysayers), just real grit, blood & guts …
One simply has to admire (& respect) these Kings
15 Mar 2013, 21:03 pm
The kings proving that the lions should never return to super rugby
15 Mar 2013, 21:04 pm
Well done Kings. That was terrific from the PE boys. They have totally won my heart over and after that game have huge respect for them. To think if the tmo never gifted the Chiefs a try and gifted them a penalty against the Greek they would only have had 25 points. Would still have won but it puts into perspective how very very good the Kings were out there tonight. They should have only won by one point.
WELL DONE KINGS. Wish you all the very best for your tour. That was a bloody good performance tonight very proud of the PE boys.
15 Mar 2013, 21:04 pm
Well played Kings. Would have been nice to get a bonus point or two from the last couple of weeks though.
15 Mar 2013, 21:04 pm
Great game,
Kings about 2 or 3 good players away from being a strong outfit.
Have to credit Cheifs for win and scoring 4 tries but feel Kings were sloppy in lineouts, ball retention and made a few silly mistakes which will hopefully go with the more experience they get.
Believe they can beat the Bulls, Rebels, And a few other teams this season.
Very nice to see a competitive game with good tackling. As I said few errors both team but that is to be expected with a new team in wet conditions.
Petersen, Engelbrecht, Du Preez & Catrakilis the stand outs.
One note: please get forwards out of the backline, that was a big difference between the 2 sides.
All the best to all the teams playing world wide tomorrow.
15 Mar 2013, 21:05 pm
Sykes is a big lock option for the Boks, and maybe Wimpie Van Der Walt.
15 Mar 2013, 21:06 pm
@King dingeling-256: I don’t agree with that. There is place for both teams after 2015. Unfair to say that really. Lions last year had about 8 or so injuries to players for long periods of last years Super Rugby.
Anyhow that is all in the past. Kings were superb tonight. Very proud of them.
15 Mar 2013, 21:07 pm
@Rhys7-260: Sykes has always been great, just always overlooked by the Bok selectors. Have no idea why.
15 Mar 2013, 21:07 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-244: you got your first disciple
.
That more oggend?
15 Mar 2013, 21:08 pm
@Angostura-255: Agree, good post. They deserve respect for their performances thus far.
15 Mar 2013, 21:09 pm
just have to do it cause well he’s Greek innit…………….the Kings pushing the SR champions and losing finalists that hard, its madness …………………no New Zealander THIS IS SPARTA!!!!
15 Mar 2013, 21:10 pm
@Puma-261:
What was the Lions’ excuse the year before…and the year before…and the year before Puma?
Also injured players?
Anybody know what the attendance figure was tonight. Did the Kings cracked the 100 000th mark after their 1st three games?
15 Mar 2013, 21:13 pm
@Puma-261: I agree on the injuries, so take last year out of the equation. With all due respect…. in all of those years in the competition the lions have never played the time of rugby the kings are dishing out and pushing let’s say the saders this close. The lions have failed with flying colors
15 Mar 2013, 21:13 pm
@Atlas-263: chat more oggend
15 Mar 2013, 21:15 pm
Okay I am out of here.
Transie you have a beer or two on me tonight boet. Your team has done you very proud and made the whole of sa proud tonight. Score should have been far closer had the tmo not gifted the Chiefs a try and also a gifted penalty to them against your fh at the start. Chiefs should only have won by one point. It was that close. Kings were great out there. Wish them all the best for their tour.
15 Mar 2013, 21:15 pm
100 points
Still waiting …..
15 Mar 2013, 21:15 pm
Jeez I wish the Cheetahs could get a crowd attendance like the Kings have had in their first 3 games. Great support.
15 Mar 2013, 21:16 pm
Okay cheers everyone. Catch up tomorrow.
Go Bulls go get em Saders!
15 Mar 2013, 21:17 pm
@Atlas-263:
hehehe
ja tune in tomorrow morning hopefully the Bulls will overcome the dirt by blowing them clean out the water and taking the refs right out of the equation.
i dont expect it to happen but one can still hope.
we’ve got a four man tag team of pure dirt in control of the whistle with Vinny Munro (yes, THAT Vinny Munro) and Kane Mcbride featuring in there.
15 Mar 2013, 21:17 pm
Kings play: Saders, Canes, Brumbies and Rebels on their tour.
They’ll struggle to get a point in NZ but hopefully the Bulls will soften up the Brumbies enough for them to come away with a bonus point. Solomons will probably target the Rebels match for a win.
It’s doable imo.
15 Mar 2013, 21:17 pm
@Cheetahs01-271: Absolutely. The crowd really does pull your team huge. Think that the Cheets have done well away from home it could happen. They deserve a big support at home.
Okay that is me out of here now. Cheers.
15 Mar 2013, 21:18 pm
@Puma-272:
Night Puma.
15 Mar 2013, 21:18 pm
Congrats to the Chiefs, experience pulled them through.
And the Kings? One can only take a hat off and marvel in their guts. You can see the inexperience and enthusiasism. Lack of leadership was evident as well. Luke must recover quickly. Lost but proud of the commitment and never say die attitude.
Still waiting for 100, 50 losing deficit. I hope the haters will put their hatred to rest and compliment Cheeky and his team on a job well done so far. Long way to go though.
15 Mar 2013, 21:21 pm
@King dingeling-256: Yes.. because the Lions always got a hiding in every game they played. This is still a loss for the Kings. No one cares about the score… it’s a loss. If we care about the score then the Lions didn’t do too badly because they ran a lot team very close. You see were I’m going with this? Stop being stupid.
15 Mar 2013, 21:21 pm
@Peter Mkata-277:
Aghh, the haters will be quiet for now until it maybe does happen that a team put 50 pass the Kings. Then they will be here in full force.
15 Mar 2013, 21:22 pm
@Puma-275: Yeah we can only hope hey. Cheers
15 Mar 2013, 21:22 pm
@nama1-276: So proud of the kings out there tonight Nama.
Night Nama. Catch up tomorrow boet.
15 Mar 2013, 21:23 pm
Cheers Baks, Tac .d*wn, and eveybody else
Go Bulls and guppies
Chat morrow
15 Mar 2013, 21:26 pm
All hail the kings my arse! Forget about the lions? They should not be in s15? Are we so easy to be happy about a team loosing? Lions lost and not all by big scores! This is still early days. I must say that they seem to play better every time but again early days! And still need a good couple of wins! Can’t say hail the chiefs with 1 out of 3. Geesh. Rather get excited about cheetahs winning 2 oversead, not getting excited about loosing!
15 Mar 2013, 21:27 pm
Something smells of rotten fish….
15 Mar 2013, 21:28 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-273: read your post about them erlier. Shocking. Bulls need The Atlas blessing.
15 Mar 2013, 21:31 pm
@nama1-279:
Can never understand it. Very sad but one can always resist being trapped in that kind of negativity.
Kings are short of little mongrel upfront but are certainly playing better than the lions so far. The overseas tour is gonna be huge in terms of character especialy on the young stars.
Maku too erratic and lacks some mongrel . How I wish we had someone to replace him going foward.
15 Mar 2013, 21:32 pm
“Air Punch” Petersen continuing to impress.
15 Mar 2013, 21:34 pm
@nortierd-18: @polaris-16:
They are far north yes
Limpopo is a sub-union of the Blue Bulls
In the old days they were called “Verre Noord Transvaal” & they probably competed for the Sport Pienaar against other minor unions such as North West Cape, North East Cape, etc. Wasn’t there a Stellaland as well? Maybe some others I can’t recall now …
These small (in numbers) but vast (in geographical area) & without any survival prospects unions, unless heavily subsidised, have since disappeared & been co-opted into the big, viable unions.
15 Mar 2013, 21:35 pm
I’m out. But see you guys tomorrow morning
Bulls by 5 or a 100
15 Mar 2013, 21:35 pm
Steyn needs to make amends for his duck from 16 balls. How do you even do that in an ODI, especially a shortened one?
15 Mar 2013, 21:37 pm
Chiefs cut down courageous Kings http://t.co/C4yyPdTkO1 via @sharethis champs bt rookies 35-24 in PE
15 Mar 2013, 21:38 pm
Well done Kings, avg loss to the 2 probably best respective conf teams 8.5 points. Impressive.
15 Mar 2013, 21:39 pm
@Angostura-288:
Laeveld
15 Mar 2013, 21:39 pm
@nama1-290: Easy…. he shouldn’t even have go in to bat. Top order failed. Not his job…. he was probably just seeing out the overs.
15 Mar 2013, 21:42 pm
@Atlas-282:
cheers boet
15 Mar 2013, 21:42 pm
@Tuna-293:
Still…0 from 16 balls? You going to excuse it on that grounds? That’s 2 1/2 overs wasted.
15 Mar 2013, 21:43 pm
@victoriabok-292: Oh, yes
15 Mar 2013, 21:44 pm
@Tuna-293:
“Seeing out the overs.”
In an ODI? That have been shortened due to rain?
Is jy gerook?
15 Mar 2013, 21:45 pm
@Tuna-293: But Steyn fancies himself as a batsman … how now?
15 Mar 2013, 21:46 pm
@Angostura-296:
Oos Vrystaat.
Vaaldriehoek
Another one for “Air Punch?”
Khan going upstairs.
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