Return of Hall weighs on Kings
SOUTHERN Kings head coach Deon Davids was locked in meetings with his core coaching panel this week, strategising on how to turn the new Super Rugby season into a winning one.
This year, the Kings have an additional member on their coaching panel, which will help to ease the pressure on Davids, who bore the brunt of the pressure last season.
Dave Williams has been appointed as attack and skills coach and he will have a big role to play in ensuring that the Kings are battle-ready.
In another move, former Blitz Bok star Vuyo Zangqa will take over as the Kings backline coach from Mzwandile Stick.
Zangqa was the EP Kings backline coach in the Currie Cup Premier Division last year.
Barend Pieterse, who was promoted to head coach for the EP Kings in the Currie Cup, will continue as the Kings’ Super Rugby forwards coach and Henning van der Merwe remains as kicking coach.
When Davids spoke to his staff this week it was certain the tug-of-war that has developed between the Kings and French club Oyonnax over the services of scrumhalf James Hall featured prominently.
The Baby Bok impressed in his debut season for the Southern Kings last year and had been expected to play a key role in the new campaign.
Hall has been one of the stars for Oyonnax this season and it seems that the French club are desperate to retain the services of the talented 21year-old.
With the Kings set to play their first pre-season friendly against Border in East London on February 4, Davids will not be happy that Hall is still in France and not training with his squad.
Last month, informed sources said Hall would remain at Oyonnax until the end of their season in May and would not be returning to the Kings for Super Rugby.
So, unless there are quick new developments, it would appear as though Davids will have to plan for not having Hall in his squad.
If Hall is lost, Davids will be counting on the other scrumhalves on the Kings books – Ricky Schroeder, Johan Steyn and Poerie van Rooyen – to deliver the goods.
Davids says he will not be rushing into any quick decisions about his Super Rugby strategy or who will captain his team.
There are a few candidates for the captaincy and Davids will have a tough decision to make.
Some may wonder whether he will be tempted to go the route that Stormers coach Robbie Fleck took last year when he appointed Juan de Jongh and Frans Malherbe as co-captains.
De Jongh led the team out onto the pitch and had the final say in on-field decisions but shared the captaincy duties with Malherbe both on and off the field.
Another team that could go down the road of co-captains are the Reds, who will face the Kings in Brisbane on April 15.
According to reports from Australia, James Slipper won’t be replaced as Reds captain but he could end up sharing the role, as coach Nick Stiles attempts to make the most out of a huge influx of experience this season.
Stiles is keeping an open mind on leadership positions but has praised Slipper for the way he had guided the team through a nightmare threewin Super Rugby campaign last year and the sacking of Richard Graham after just two games.
However, it seems unlikely that Davids will want a co-captaincy arrangement which some may view as a cop out.
Waiting to ambush the Kings in what promises to be a fiery opener will be a Jaguares team packed with Argentine Test stars at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on February 25.
Davids says the friendlies against Border and the SWD Eagles give the Kings an ideal chance to measure their progress after four months of preparation.
“I am excited to see some of the players who will have their first experience of Super Rugby and to see how certain combinations work,” said Davids.
“In the friendlies we will see where we are and what works and what we must still do before our first game,” Davids said.