EP Kings to face hectic seven-day turbulence

THE physical and mental strength of the EP Kings will be severely tested when they play their next three Currie Cup Premier Division games in the space of just seven days.

It was their last-minute inclusion in the Premier Division that caused a hectic fixtures logjam for the hastily assembled EP side.

After their match against Western Province in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, the Kings face away matches against Griquas in Kimberley on Wednesday before they clash with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein the following Saturday.

“Three games in seven days is a very tough ask at this level of competition,” said Charl Crous, who has been seconded by SA Rugby to oversee the running of the Kings.

“We do not have a lot of depth in certain positions, but in others we will be able to apply rotation. Some players, in certain positions, may have to play all three games and we will manage the time on the legs.

“EP have done planning on how we are going to approach the matches. Obviously it will be a tough ask, but what is nice is that everyone will get game time.

“We want to see it as a positive. So we want to say to the guys, ‘use this opportunity and there is definitely going to be rotation’. This will give guys an opportunity who would only have played if there had been injuries,” said Crous.

Ironically, after their three-game blitz, the Kings will enjoy a bye the following week.

“Because it is a nine-team competition, if one team has a bye it is a bye. We have looked at all the permutations.”

Crous praised the Kings for their efforts after they went down 49-35 in Pretoria on Friday.

“It was an amazing performance against the Bulls and we can be very proud of what we accomplished.

“In the end we probably threw that game away because we had a few chances to take it. They showed a lot of heart even though we did not get the result.”

New faces at a Kings training session yesterday, were lock Dylan Pieterse and scrumhalf Vian van der Walt.

In addition, lock Cameron Lindsay returned to the training pitch and is busy with rehab after an 11month break due to a knee injury.

“It is good to see Cameron here doing his rehab. It is difficult to say, but hopefully he might still get a chance in the Currie Cup,” Kings head coach Barend Pieterse said.

The Kings name their team to play Western Province today.