Southern Kings vs Cell C Sharks Preview
The Southern Kings will make their return to Vodacom Super Rugby after a three years break when they take on the Cell C Sharks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The Kings and Sharks are part of the extended competition’s Africa 2 conference comprising of the Sharks, Jaguares, Lions and Kings.
The Eastern Cape team did better than expected in their first season of Super Rugby in 2013 recording three victories and a draw. They were competitive throughout the season despite ending bottom of the log. Many a fan will have fond memories of the sides first win against the Force at a packed NMB Stadium.
2016 Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids has built a squad with very little Super Rugby experience. They played two warm up games beating SWD Eagles 22 – 16 and then losing 22 – 11 to the Toyota Cheetahs. Davids’ men will be encouraged by the fact that they were competitive, defended well and were only trailing by three points when the hooter sounded. They will however be under no illusions that a lot of work still needs to be done but they will be up to the challenge.
The Cell C Sharks will want to improve on their 2015 Super Rugby season where they failed to make the play-offs. The Durban side looked impressive during their warm-up games in France where they beat Toulon 29 -21 in their first outing and then made light work of Toulouse defeating them 31 -17 in their second. They looked strong in both attack and defence which will surely encourage new Sharks coach Robert du Preez, despite the loss of captain and stalwart Patrick Lambie due to injury.
The sides met twice in 2013 with the Sharks winning the first 22-12 and the second 58-13. These results will have little bearing on this year’s competitions. The Sharks have lost a number of big names like Bismark du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Francois Steyn, Willem Alberts and Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Explosive Springbok flanker Marcell Coetzee, who was brilliant in France, will continue to lead from the front in a much more experienced squad which includes Springboks Willie le Roux, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jacques Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Cobus Reinagh and JP Petersen. Up and coming prop Thomas du Toit will be one of the youngsters to watch in the squad along with the powerful du Preez brothers (Jean-Luc and Dan) as well as talented flyhallf Gareth April.
The Kings have had their fair share of problems leading up to Super Rugby 2016. SARU stepped in to assist but the Port Elizabeth side still lost a number of experienced players. The likes of Lizo Gqoboka, Tim Whitehead, Tim Agaba and George Whitehead, who all opted not to renew their contracts with the Franchise, as well as Ronnie Cook, who’s contract was terminated and Springbok Luke Watson, who was omitted.
Some good news for the PE outfit was the return of strong ball carrying loose forward Jacques Engelbrecht who will be one to watch along with Shane Gates, JP Du Plessis, Adion Davies, Schalk Ferreira, Elgar Watts and youngsters Malcolm Jaer, CJ Velleman and Junior Pokomela.
The Kings will do well to mirror their performance in 2013 competition. Their senior players will have to stand up and lead from the front. They have a point to prove and I believe that they could scare a few top sides along the way provided injuries don’t creep in to a squad which already lacks depth.
The Durbanites are looking strong on paper. It will come down to what the new coaching staff can do with this exciting looking squad in arguably the toughest rugby competition in the world when they come up against the best of the best.
My prediction: Sharks by 15.
Sharks Super Rugby training squad:
Written by @rugbyviews15
Photo: @howzitjax
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