Kings look to new wing wonder
FLYING wing Wandile Mjekevu will get his first start of the season when the Southern Kings play the Waratahs in a Super Rugby clash in Sydney on Saturday (kick-off 11.45am).
A concussion to winger Yaw Penxe, who returned to South Africa earlier in the week, has forced Kings head coach Deon Davids to make one change to his backline for the final match of his team’s Australian tour.
In the pack, Andisa Ntsila will start at number eight, replacing Ruan Lerm, while lock Irne Herbst returns to the starting team, changing spots with Mzwanele Zito who will be on the bench in Sydney.
Tighthead prop Ross Geldenhuys makes a return to the team following a neck spasm ahead of the Southern Kings’ match against Western Force a fortnight ago.
In another change Justin Forwood moves from tighthead to the other side of the scrum, with Chris Heiberg, who started at loosehead last weekend, not in the matchday squad this week.
On the bench, Kurt Haupt will provide cover at hooker, while Stokkies Hanekom will provide backline backup and will be up for his first appearance for the Kings.
“Injuries always impact us in a sense that they influence your continuity and combinations,” said Davids. “Yaw Penxe and Malcolm Jaer (who sustained a knee injury after the Western Force game) are youngsters who did a great job for us, but we are lucky to fall back on the experience of Stokkies Hanekom and Ntabeni Dukisa, who have joined the team in Australia.
“We are hopeful that these guys will grab their opportunities and make the step up in Super Rugby.”
Davids expressed pleasure at the growth he is witnessing from his side this season.
“We are a team that has grown tremendously on and off the field. The players have adapted well to the challenges of Super Rugby. As teammates they have grown closer to one another,” he said.
“It is still a process, but with each game we are improving. I think we will continue to do that throughout the competition.
“I think it has been a tough, but enjoyable tour. There have been some good stuff and also things that we need to improve on. For us, it is about putting everything together from the start to the finish in this last match.”
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson wants his team to shore up their leaky defence.
Gibson knows his team will have to vigilant against a Kings team who have scored 11 tries in their previous two matches against the Western Force and Reds.
The Waratahs, tournament winners in 2014, are languishing in fourth spot in the five-team Australian conference on eight competition points, having won just two of their seven games this season.
Their only victories have come against fellow Australian sides the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels, who are also struggling, while they conceded almost 34 points per match. The Kings team is: Masixole Banda; Wandile Mjekevu, Berton Klaasen, Luzuko Vulindlu, Makazole Mapimpi; Lionel Cronje, (capt), Louis Schreuder; Andisa Ntsila, Tyler Paul, Chris Cloete, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Irne Herbst, Ross Geldenhuys, Michael Willemse, Justin Forwood. Reserves: Kurt Haupt, Schalk van der Merwe, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Mzwanele Zito, Ruan Lerm/Martin Bezuidenhout, Johan Steyn, Stokkies Hanekom, Pieter-Steyn de Wet