Welsh stars will feel the heat on PRO14 travels

WALES’ rugby stars could face sweltering temperatures in excess of 100 degrees fahrenheit during next season’s Guinness PRO14 assignments in South Africa.

For 104F (40.2C) was the mark the thermometer rose to on March 30 this year in Port Elizabeth.

It was the highest figure recorded in 50 years in the coastal city and will be of concern to officials of PRO12 champions Scarlets and the Dragons ahead of Conference B matches against the Southern Kings at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Average day-time highs in Port Elizabeth are 68F in September, 70 in October, 72F in November, 75F in December, 77F in January, February and March, 73F in April and 72F in May.

Ospreys and Blues will also have to battle sizzling heat when they face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in Conference A of the new-look tournament. For average day-time highs in the city are 79F in September, 82F in October and November, 86F in December, 88F in January, 84F in February, 81F in March, 75F in April and 70F in May.

But it can get even hotter with a reading of 102F (38.9C) being recorded in January.

Ospreys and Blues will also have to adjust to playing at a height of 4,577ft, which is just 433ft below the level at which medicine recognises altitude starts to affect humans as the air becomes thinner.

The introduction of the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, as the PRO12 expands to 14 and a conference system is introduced, means fixtures will be staged in the southern hemisphere summer.

Meanwhile, there’s some uncertainty over who the Cheetahs and Kings will select for their opening fixtures in the PRO14 with some players contracted to Currie Cup provincial teams until the end of October.

Free State Cheetahs are the reigning champions while Griquas are also in the Premier Division.

Eagles and Border Bulldogs, who are both in the Kings franchise area, are in the First Division.

Disappointingly for PRO14 followers, they won’t get to see South Africa’s lethal finisher Raymond Rhule in action for he’s turned his back on it to sign for Super Rugby out-fit Stormers.

And he’s likely to be joined at the Cape Town-based franchise by fellow big-hitters, wing Sergeal Petersen and flanker Oupa Mohoje.

South African market can be huge says WRU chief: Pages 46&47