Guinness Pro14 new boys Southern Kings have named their squad for the new season. Rob Cole takes a look at the South Africans’ preparations as well as those of their compatriots, the Cheetahs, as both try to overcome defections and dual tournament congestion.
Guinness PRO14 new boys Southern Kings, who have to launch their campaign at the home of defending champions the Scarlets, have retained only 11 of their Super Rugby squad.
Head coach Deon Davids was at least able to name a squad of 40 players for what is likely to be a baptism by fire at Parc y Scarlets on 2 September, but it will be more a case of getting to know their names, rather than turning them into a competitive outfit in the first instance.
Gone are skipper and outside-half Lionel Cronje, who has joined Toyota Verblitz in Japan, his fellow South Africa A squad members Chris Cloete, who has joined Munster as aback five forward, and wing Makazole Mapimpi, who has linked-up with the Cheetahs.
Prop Schalk van der Merwe has joined Glasgow Warriors, while Namibian World Cup players Johan Tromp and Chrysander Botha have both moved on.
Davids has been able to draft in Italian international back row man Dries van Schalkwyk, who played for Zebre for the past five years, and ex-Glasgow Warriors and Grenoble tight head prop Rossouw de Klerk.
But they have got another prop, Justin Forwood, ruled out until the New Year and former Springbok wing Cornal Henrdicks failed a medical due to an existing heart problem.
“I know it’s going to be hard work, but we’ve shown that with the right people and plan we can achieve things. It will require a lot of patience and a lot of effort,” said Davids.
“It’s a project that I think will maybe shine in the next three or four years. For the first year or so it will be very tough.”
As for the other newcomers, the Cheetahs, they face a murderous opening to their campaign in Ireland as they are forced to fight in two tournaments in the opening two months of the season.
The reigning Currie Cup holders in South Africa, they are due to fly to Ireland to launch their new career in the PRO14 against Ulster on Friday, 1 September and then Munster eight days later.
Their game at Thomond Park will come hours after they have met Western Province in Cape Town.
And their game against Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium is the day before they meet the Sharks in Durban in another vital Currie Cup clash.
Their playing calendar in the two tournaments will see them play four games in the space of eight days.
The pressure has forced them to split their playing resources into two groups and split their coaching team as well. Former Springbok and Toulouse prop Daan Human is taking charge of the Currie Cup team, while former skipper Rory Duncan has been handed the reins of the PRO14 outfit.
“It’s a huge challenge but it’s exciting, too. We can’t complain because we’ve got something special going on here,” was the upbeat message from Cheetahs managing director Harold Verster.
“In two weeks we play in our first PRO14 game against Ulster and then move on to face Munster, while over the same days we’re playing against the Sharks and Western Province.
“From 1 November 1 until May there’ll be no overlapping of tournaments and, by January, our Boks and injured players will be back. We should be a lot stronger then, but we must hang in there for now.”
The biggest problem for the Cheetahs is trying to find two fit outside-halves to fill their No 10 jerseys. Neil Marais (shoulder) and Fred Zeilinga (hip) have just had operations, Clinton Swart is struggling with an injured injured knee and the versatile Tian Meyer, who can cover at No 10, has also undergone shoulder surgery.
“It means we’re just left with Ryno Eksteen, who played his first game after injury in a long time last week. We’re also thinking of moving our Springbok Sevens international Cecil Afrika from full back to fly half,” added Verster.
There is little doubt that at their best the Cheetahs will provide top notch opposition judging by their recent results in the Currie Cup.
Last weekend they beat the Blue Bulls 41-40 at Loftus Versfeld and they kicked off the defence of their title with home wins over the Sharks (47-12) and Western Province (30-17).
They won 45-34 at the home of the Pumas and their only reverse to date was a 30-25 home defeat to the Griquas. Those victories came on top of four in their last Super Rugby campaign.
Southern Kings PRO14 Squad (players in bold are from their 2017 Super Rugby Squad)
Alandre van Rooyen, Alshaun Bock, Andisa Ntsila, Berton Klaasen, Bobby de Wee, CJ Velleman, Dries van Schalkwyk, Eital Bredenkamp, Freddy Ngoza, Godlen Masimla, Jacques Nel, Jarryd Sage, Jurie van Vuuren, Justin Forwood, Khaya Majola, Kurt Coleman, Lindokuhle Welemu, Lubabalo Mtyanda, Lusanda Badiyana, Luzuko Vulindlu, Martin Dreyer, Masixole Banda, Michael Makase, Njabulo Gumede, Ntabeni Dukisa, Oliver Zono, Pieter Scholtz, Pieter-Steyn de Wet, Rossouw de Klerk, Ruaan Lerm, Rudi van Rooyen, Sbusiso Sithole,Schalk Ferreira, Siyabulela Mdaka, Stephan Coetzee, Stephan Greeff, Tango Balekile, Tienie Burger, Victor Sekekete, Yaw Penxe