KINGS UNVEIL BOLD PLAN
Canny Kings coach expected to be the man in charge as new-look team prepares for Pro 14
SHREWD head coach Deon Davids is set to wear the crown and mastermind a bold three-year project designed to achieve success for the Southern Kings in the European Pro 14.
After guiding the Southern Kings to a record six Super Rugby victories this year, Davids has indicated he is willing to take on a new European challenge.
He is already working frantically behind the scenes to recruit players and prepare for what will be a fiery baptism in the European league which kicks off next month.
Although Davids has not signed on the dotted line, it is expected an agreement will be reached shortly to keep the coach in Port Elizabeth to spearhead the three-year plan for success.
With the kick-off looming, it is expected training sessions with new recruits could start next week. Tournament fixtures are expected to be announced on Monday.
There was a mass exodus of star players after the Kings’ final Super Rugby clash against the Cheetahs, and Davids will have to begin virtually from scratch to put a side together.
“Yes, we will have a team and they will be competitive,” Kings chief operating officer Charl Crous said.
“We want Deon to stay on. He is working behind the scenes and I am sure we will be able to make an announcement about him shortly.
“As far as possible, we want to keep continuity in the coaching department and keep the unit to- gether,” Crous said.
“There are certain positions, however, that need to be filled. Our backline coach Vuyo Zangqa has taken up a coaching appointment in Germany and technical analyst Lindsay Weyer has joined the Springboks.
“Team doctor Konrad von Hagen has also joined the national team.”
Crous, who flies to London next week for a Pro14 workshop, has appealed to fans to support the new competition.
“People must embrace this tournament as a whole. They can buy into it and know that heroes will be created over the course of this competition, but they will have lots of enjoyment watching our team and the overseas sides.
“It is going to be tough, but we are ready for the challenge and we will put the best squad together that we possibly can,” Crous said.
The tournament, which features the leading clubs of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy, has been expanded to incorporate the Kings and Cheetahs in a ground-breaking move into cross-hemisphere rugby.
The two South African franchises, who voluntarily withdrew from Super Rugby participation in July, will play a schedule of 21 matches from next month to the final on May 26.
The competition has been split into two conferences of seven teams each, with an equal split of teams from each union
Every team will play every other team at least once and the Italian, Scottish and South African teams will play an additional derby fixture to even out the schedule, so the Cheetahs will play the Southern Kings three times.
The Kings have been drawn in Conference B with Scarlets, Dragons, Leinster, Ulster, Edinburgh and Benneton.
Conference A comprises Ospreys, Cardiff Blues, Munster, Connacht, Glasgow, Zebre and Cheetahs.
We want to keep continuity in the coaching department and keep the unit together