Police rivals square up for coastal fight

East London Police coach Fergus Kennedy aims to make small changes to his squad that will take on PE Police in the Eastern Cape Super 12 club rugby competition final at Kemsley Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

EL Police are coming out of a morale-boosting 17-10 win over Star of Hope while PE Police narrowly beat Progress 34-32 in the semifinals last weekend at Jabavu Stadium in Kwanobuhle, Uitenhage.

Kennedy said he would make as few changes as possible as his team have done well in the tournament.

“The team we’ve been using has been amazing and we are fortunate that we have our whole squad to choose from,” said Kennedy.

The former Border Bulldogs utility back said he would definitely include two players who haven’t had any game time this tournament so far.

“I might make two changes in the squad but that’s about it.

“In our initial squad we couldn’t take Hendricho Koester who’s our scrumhalf because he’s been having work commitments.

“Our flyhalf Beuton Pholman also could join us because he was off sick last week.

“So we have had to make lastminute changes.

“And we’ve had to play guys in positions that they are not recount ally comfortable with.

“We’ve been pushing boundaries with players since the beginning of this tournament and that has worked to our advantage.

“We’ve slotted any player anywhere and they knew it was for the team and they’ve given their best and everything worked in our favour,” said Kennedy.

“I think we are fortunate when it comes to that because our guys have never complained because this was in the interest of the team.”

He said experience would on the day and having players like Bonga Mntunjana, and Lonwabo Ntlama, both of whom are former Super 12 champions, gave him a sense of peace.

“Every team needs those kind of players, especially in the final.

“You need guys who have been in the deep end to hold things together.

“And I must say in the last minutes of the game against Star of Hope they came at us but it was our senior players who kept their cool.

“So experience will come in handy in this game. Some of them have won the Super 12 like Mntunjana and Ntlama.

“They know what’s it’s about and it’s important to keep them in the team,” Kennedy stressed.

“And we’re lucky we don’t have much injuries. It’s just knocks and I believe that we’ve had enough time to work on our weaknesses.

“But we won’t be changing much in the way we play.

“We want to stick to the things that have been working for us.”

Experience will come in handy Coach Fergus Kennedy