Kings get injury fright ahead of tour

THERE was an injury scare for the Southern Kings yesterday only hours after they named a 27-man squad for their three-match Super Rugby tour of Australia.

Scrumhalf Ricky Schroeder, who has been named in the tour party, left the field with an injury during a low-key friendly against the Border Bulldogs on Wednesday.

However, the injury did not turn out as serious as it first appeared and Schroeder was back in action after a short break to help the Kings to a narrow 22-21 win over the Bulldogs.

It looked as though the Bulldogs had won the clash at the death with a late try, but a long-range penalty by Garrick Mattheus clinched a hard-earned win for the Kings.

The game, played on the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium B Field, is part of the Kings’ preparations for the SuperSport Rugby Challenge, which kicks off next month.

The Kings are in the South group along with the Boland Cavaliers, Border Bulldogs, SWD Eagles and Western Province.

Apart from Schroeder, the other scrumhalves in the Kings’ touring party are Johan Steyn and Louis Schreuder. Kings, who have a bye this week, will depart for Australia tomorrow.

The tour to Australia includes matches against Western Force (April 9), Queensland Reds (April 15) and the Waratahs (April 21).

The Kings will then return to Port Elizabeth where they will take on the Melbourne Rebels at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on April 29.

The team, most of whom are enjoying a break this week, will gather again tomorrow ahead of their departure for overseas tomorrow.

Lions centre Stokkies Hanekom, was one of the players who was given a run for EP against the Bulldogs yesterday, as the Kings prepared SuperSport Rugby Challenge.

Fiery loose-forward Thembelani Bholi, who was left out of the Australian squad, gave a typically hardworking display to signal he will still be a factor in the months ahead.

Exciting wing Yaw Penxe, who has been a member of the SA U20 training squad, was also named in the squad after scoring a try on his Super Rugby debut against the Lions last week.

Prop Dyan van der Westhuizen, who is returning from injury, was also named for the tour and he will be eager to grab this opportunity with both hands.. The Kings touring squad is: Forwards: Props: Chris Heiberg, Schalk van der Merwe, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Justin Forwood, and Ross Geldenhuys

Hookers: Kurt Haupt, Martin Bezuidenhout, and Michael Willemse

Locks: Irne Herbst, Mzwanele Zito, and Wilhelm van der Sluys

Loose-forwards: Andisa Ntsila, Chris Cloete, and Ruaan Lerm Utility forward: Tyler Paul Backline: Scrumhalves: Ricky Schroeder, Johan Steyn, Louis Schreuder and Ricky Schroeder

Flyhalves: Lionel Cronje and PieterSteyn de Wet

Wings: Makazole Penxe

Centres: Berton Klaasen and Waylon Murray Fullback: Malcolm Jaer Utility backs: Luzuko Vulindlu and Masixole Banda Mapimpi, Yaw