Lack of firepower on bench affects Kings’ performance
Disappointed Isuzu Southern Kings coach Deon Davids bemoaned the lack of firepower on his bench after his team were thrashed 59-19 by champions Leinster.
This was never going to be an easy assignment for the struggling Kings who traded punches with the log leaders well into the second half before subsiding.
Leinster, who led 24-12 at the break, extended their lead in Conference B to a massive 27 points and are favoured to retain their Guinness PRO14 title.
After their latest setback, the Kings remain bottom of the log and face another tough match against the Cardiff Blues on Saturday.
Leinster ran in nine tries in another dominant performance in front of their home fans.
“It was very tough out there against Leinster,” Davids said.
“I felt we started well in the first half and really stuck to our game plan and kept the opposition under pressure. That was why we were rewarded.
“We were in the game for most of the first half and for about 20 minutes in the second half and I was pleased with that.
“I am disappointed though because this is a 23-player team. I think our bench coming on did not play to their potential.”
Leinster prop Ed Byrne, who scored two tries and was named Man of the Match, also said his team’s bench had made a massive impact.
“The Kings really challenged and took us on up front in the first 15 minutes,” Byrne said.
“Once our forwards got into our rhythm we make some good ground and the backs scored some good tries as well.
“Our bench made a great impact. There were two tries in the final minute, so we finished the game very strongly,” Byrne said.
Tries by Kings speedster Bjorn Basson and scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius put the Kings 12-7 up at the RDS Arena early on in the game.
But Leinster prop Byrne notched two tries in four minutes with Noel Reid also scoring his second try as the home side moved 24-12 ahead by the interval. Barry Daly, Andrew Porter, Max Deegan, Paddy Patterson and Rory O'Loughlin added further Leinster tries after Ulrich Beyers' try for the Kings in the second half.
It will be back to the drawing board for the Kings who have struggled this season and have won only twice in 16 outings.
They will be keen to salvage something from their last five games of the season as the pressure grows to deliver winning results.
One positive for the Kings was an improvement in their woeful disciplinary record.
After conceding 15 penalties during their heavy defeat against Munster, they were penalised on only three occasions against the champions.
Davids said the number of penalties his team had been conceding had been discussed ahead of the Leinster clash, and had influenced the composition of his 23-man squad.
Scorers:
Leinster 59: Tries: Noel Reid 2, Ed Byrne 2, Barry Daly, Andrew Porter, Max Deegan, Patrick Patterson and Rory O’Loughlin.
Conversions: Ross Byrne 7.
Southern Kings 19: Tries: Bjorn Basson, Sarel Pretorius, Ulrich Beyers. Conversions: Bader Pretorius 2.