Lerm tipped to lead Kings if Ferreira fails fitness test
ABRASIVE loose forward Ruaan Lerm could be named to lead the Southern Kings against the Cheetahs if Schalk Ferreira fails a fitness test.
Ferreira, who popped a rib during his team’s last match against Cardiff Blues, might miss Saturday’s game at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
“Schalk is being assessed by the medical staff and a decision on his fitness will be made later this week pending the outcome of the assessment,” a Kings spokesman said.
Prior to suffering his injury, Ferreira had played his 20th consecutive PRO14 match for the Kings.
Ferreira took over the leadership after first-choice skipper Michael Willemse injured his knee during his team’s win over the Dragons.
Apart from Ferreira’s injury, centre Berton Klaasen sustained a concussion during the last minute of the Cardiff game.
“Alshaun Bock has a right hamstring tear and Luzuko Vulindlu sus- tained a left calf tear,” Kings team doctor Lizanne Pieterse said after the Cardiff clash.
Kings coach Deon Davids hopes for a big improvement from his team in their final game of the season.
He labelled his side’s first-half display against Cardiff Blues as the worst showing he had seen by players in Southern Kings jerseys.
“We will revisit this performance against Cardiff and start preparing for our last game against the Cheetahs,” Davids said.
The Kings were swamped by Cardiff in the first half, and were trailing 33-0 at the break before losing 45-12.
This will be the third meeting between the Kings and Cheetahs in the PRO14.
The Cheetahs won the first game in Port Elizabeth 45-21, then achieved the double with a 45-24 victory a week later in Bloemfontein.
While the Cheetahs are sitting pretty in third place on the Conference A standings, the Kings are stranded at the bottom of Conference B with just one win from 20 outings.
It is expected that the Kings will name their team on Thursday.