Kings to now look ahead
Cronje eager to tame the Lions
DEFIANT Southern Kings skipper Lionel Cronje says his team are ready to bounce back from their defeat against the Brumbies when they face a rampant Lions outfit at Ellis Park on Sunday, May 28.
A massive crowd is expected in Johannesburg as South Africa gets its long-awaited first taste of Super Rugby being played on a Sunday.
The Lions gored the Bulls 51-14 at the weekend while the Kings slumped to their first defeat in four outings when they went down 19-10 to the Brumbies in front of 17 000 fans at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
“It was not the not the outcome we wanted against the Brumbies, but the guys will be up for it next week and it will be another South African derby. It will be easy to get the guys up for that game,” Cronje said.
“I think we created enough opportunities against the Brumbies, but we did not execute well when we had them. The Kings had two or three opportunities in their 22 when we could or should have scored.
“At that time the score was 10-5 and we could have extended the lead to 17-5 and that could have put us in a position to win the game. We were not clinical enough in that area of the game when we did get the opportunities.
“It was disappointing for the standards we set here in terms of our attack. We defended for 80% of the game and we were still in it right up until the end. I think that bodes well.
“It is a good sign when you are not playing well and can still be in at the end. It was a sign that we are moving in the right direction,” Cronje said.
Kings head coach Deon Davids said the Kings would face a tough battle against South Africa’s leading Super Rugby team on Sunday.
“The Lions are a quality side and it is not going to become easier,” Davids warned.
“It is going to be tough in Johannesburg. We have to pitch there with the right mindset and with a good plan. We also have to be better disciplined and look after our ball better.
“The Kings can draw a lot of confidence from our first encounter this season against the Lions in Port Elizabeth.
“I just think that as a team it is important to look at ourselves and where we can improve rather than worry about the challenge of the Lions at Ellis Park,” Davids said.
The Brumbies were delighted to secure first win in six weeks and become the first Australian team to win in South Africa this year.
“We wasted a couple of opportunities in the first half, but the good aspect out of the game is the boys never lost their confidence or composure,” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said.
“They fought hard in the second half, particularly where we defended three passages of play and that was a turning point.
“Yes, we’ve been working on our attack this year and we saw some opportunities. But defensively we were outstanding.”
Brumbies skipper Sam Carter was a man relieved after the clash.
“Being the first Australian team to win in South Africa is a great achievement. We came over here with a mindset to get a good win and that’s what happened,” Carter said.