Tough friendly on cards as Kings clash with Cheetahs
A TESTING friendly against the Cheetahs has been lined up for the Southern Kings before they begin their Super Rugby campaign against the Sharks on February 27.
It was announced in Bloemfontein that the Cheetahs would play against the Kings at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on February 12 in a pre-season warmup.
There is also talk that the Kings are planning a warmup against the Stormers ahead of their eagerly awaited return to Super Rugby.
The Cheetahs will have revenge on their minds after they crashed to a 32-24 defeat against the Kings in a Currie Cup Premier Division match last year.
It is expected that former Kings stars Sergeal Petersen and Paul “Tier” Schoeman will be in the Cheetahs squad for the trip to Port Elizabeth.
The Kings gathered on Monday after their summer break, and announced that several players were on trial at the Kings from Border, South Western Districts and the Sharks.
The new players on trial from Border include loose forwards Billy Dutton (26) and Onke Dubase (26), hooker Mihlali Mpafi (24), wing Michael Makase (25) and scrumhalf Ntando Kebe (27).
SWD players included in the trials are Leighton Eksteen (21), who has played at scrumhalf, flyhalf and fullback, and Luzuko Vulindlu (28) who has played at centre and wing.
Sharks players include hooker Monde Hadebe (25) and centre Lukhanyo Am (22).
Southern Kings chief operating officer Charl Crous said these players had joined the Southern Kings on a trial basis, and that a final squad would only be announced towards the end of this month.
Apart from their game against the Kings, the Cheetahs will have a friendly against the Bulls in Harare on February 6 at the National Sports Stadium.
Organised by Kyros Sports, the game dubbed the Lafarge Zimbabwe Champions Cup will be handled by experienced South African referee Jaco Peyper.
Kyros Sports founder and director Kisset Chirengende said they were forced to settle for the Natio- nal Sports Stadium because talks with the Zimbabwe Cricket to use priority venue the Harare Sports Club cricket ground did not bear any fruit.
The last time a rugby match was played at the NSS was in 1998 when Zimbabwe took on Wales.
“We are expecting a crowd of between 15 000 and 20 000. We chose the National Sports Stadium because that and the cricket field were the only options that had adequate turf and we did not get any joy from Zimbabwe Cricket,” Chirengende said
The Bulls, three-times Super Rugby champions, will hold their pre-season camp in Victoria Falls from January 29 before they travel to Harare for the Cheetahs clash.
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union, though not directly involved, has given the match a seal of approval as it believes it will play a massive part in reinvigorating interest in the game in the country. Kings Super Rugby fixtures: February 27: Kings v Sharks. March 12: Kings v Chiefs. March 19: Crusaders v Kings. March 25: Hurricanes v Kings. April 2: Kings v Japan Sunwolves. April 9: Kings v Bulls. April 23: Kings v Lions. April 30: Jaguares v Kings. May 7: Kings v Blues. May 14: Cheetahs v Kings. May 21: Sharks v Kings. May 27: Kings v Jaguares. July 2: Kings v Highlanders. July 8: Lions v Kings. July 16: Stormers v Kings. Playoffs start on July 22.