KINGS TO FACE FIVE AUSSIE TEAMS
Two tough matches for PE, three more overseas
THIS year, five of the Southern Kings’ 15 Super Rugby matches will be against Australian opposition, with three being played in Australia and two in Port Elizabeth.
On their Australian tour, in the first half of the season, they will play the Western Force in Perth, the Reds in Brisbane and the Waratahs in Sydney.
Later in the campaign, the Kings will host the Rebels and Brumbies in Port Elizabeth.
Last year, the Kings did not play any Australian teams, but faced teams in the New Zealand conference.
On their tour, the Kings will face Wallaby George Smith, who has returned from England and Japan to join the Reds where he will play alongside fellow veterans Stephen Moore (from Brumbies) and Scott Higginbotham (from NEC Green Rockets, Japan).
The Waratahs have, meanwhile, named a 35-man squad that includes eight new faces, including Aussie Sevens star Cam Clark and Queensland U20 playmaker Mack Mason, who helped the national U20s to a win over New Zealand in May.
The Rebels finalised their squad by signing New Zealand youngster Jackson Garden-Bachop.
Garden-Bachop is the son of former All Black Stephen Bachop and nephew of Graeme Bachop, and starred with the Wellington Lions in the Mitre 10 Cup.
The Brumbies squad has a core group of Australian stars, including Tevita Kuridrani, Scott Sio, Rory Arnold, Scott Fardy, Ben Alexander, Henry Speight, Sam Carter and Allan Alaalatoa, but also has plenty of homegrown talent.
The Western Force have confirmed a 36-man squad, including 14 new signings.
Among the new faces are 68-time capped Wallaby Tatafu Polota-Nau, former Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs rugby league star Curtis Rona, 80-time Super Rugby capped utility back Robbie Coleman and former Gloucester (UK) centre Bill Meakes.
The Australian conference squads are: