Back-to-back wins for Kings

May 10 • General News • 1709 Views • Comments Off on Back-to-back wins for Kings

The EP Kings might not have had the best start to the Currie Cup Qualifiers, but coach Robbi Kempson and his squad of which many are still representing Eastern Province at junior level picked up two wins in their last two matches.

The first two games of the season where heavy defeats against the SWD Eagles and Boland, 14 – 37 and 18 – 37 respectively, followed by a 14 – 26 defeat to neighbours Border.

The Kings travelled to Namibia for their forth match where they faced the Welwitschias at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek. The visitors picked up a bonus point win as they scored five tries to two and turned a 19 – 8 halftime lead into a 31 – 18 win.

The Kings returned to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to face the Vodacom Blue Bulls last week. The visitors took the lead after Joshua Stander converted his own try in the fifteenth minutes, 7 – 3. The Kings kicked their second penalty ten minutes later to trail by one point, 6 – 7.

The home side went into the halftime break with a six point lead after Kings prop Liam Hendricks scored their first try a few minutes before, Mattheus added the extras as they took a 13 – 7 lead.

Kings flyhalf, Garrick Matthues added another two penalties at the start of the second half to stretch their lead to 19 – 7.

Bulls prop, Dean Greyling scored their second try to bring the score to 19 -14 with twenty five minutes to go after a successful conversion from Stander.

Despite a missed drop goal and penalty attempt from Matthues, the Kings did enough to record their second win, 19 – 14.

The Kings are still at the wrong end of the table, 11th, with only the two wins from five matches. They have scored 96 points and conceded 132. They have also scored 12 tries and conceded 17.

Courtney Minnar is the top points scorer for the Kings on 23 which includes three tries, one conversion and two penalties. Garrick Mattheus is second on fourteen with one conversion and four penalties.

If they continue on their winning ways, they could potentially leapfrog the Sharks (11) who are up against the Free State and the Golden Lions (12) who enjoys a bye this weekend.

Their next match is against five placed Western Province at City Park Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.