Dragons expect backlash

DRAGONS head coach Bernard Jackman says the Southern Kings will target his team for a maiden Pro14 win when the sides clash at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium tomorrow night.

After losing their opening 16 matches the Kings will be desperate to break their losing run in front of their home fans after a heavy 64-7 defeat against Leinster in their last match.

Like the Kings the Dragons have also failed to set the world alight and have only two wins under their belt after 16 outings.

“The Kings will be targeting us and we can't expect respect if we don't earn it,” said Jackman.

“It will be good to get away and something fun,” Jackman said when asked about the trip to South Africa.

“We will try and do a bit of surfing and safari and try and freshen up and enjoy each others' company.”

A measure of how much the Dragons have struggled to shine is the fact that they have scored marginally fewer tries than the Kings.

The Kings have crossed the whitewash 29 times, while the Welsh outfit have managed 32 fivepointers.

While the Kings (four points) are stranded at the bottom of Conference B, the Dragons are second from bottom with 17 points.

The Kings will announce their team tomorrow and head coach Deon Davids may be tempted to tinker with his starting line-up after the heavy defeat in Dublin.

Springbok Zane Kirchner is one of four South Africans in the Dragons squad to face the Kings.

The speedy 33-year-old utility back, who earned 31 Test caps for South Africa, will be a big headache for the leaky Kings defence.

The other South Africans in the tour party are lock Rynard Landman, scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius and centre Jarryd Sage, who signed from the Kings earlier this season.