Davids to be solely in charge
There will be no meddling in the affairs of Isuzu Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids regarding how he runs his team despite the franchise now being controlled by a consortium of new owners.
This assurance was given by consortium chair Loyiso Dotwana who said Davids and Kings staff would also be given a free hand regarding player recruitment.
“We will leave the running of the team mechanics to the rugby experts. Matters like the recruitment of players will also be left to the coaching staff to manage,” said Dotwana.
Though he would not reveal how much their stake in the club would be, the consortium will have the final say in how the affairs of the franchise are run.
Insiders say the group will own 76% of the franchise, and the EP Rugby Union 24%.
The other members of the consortium are businessmen Gary Markson, Rory Stear and Kenny Govender and businesswomen Vuyo Zitumane.
“While none of us have worked in rugby before, we all have track records of running successful businesses and this is exactly what the Kings need,” said Dotwana.
“It needs business people running a franchise in line with key corporate governance principles. We will focus on building a sustainable and successful business. We are not rugby people we are business people. What we will do is set mandates with regards to budgets. We want to run a sustainable business.
“The team have a number of injuries and chief operating officer Charl Crous and the coach Deon Davids are working hard in recruiting new players to join the Kings. This sponsorship will help in that regard.”
It is not only in the playing ranks that the Kings are thin on the ground.
A new right-hand man to assist Davids is urgently required after forwards coach Barend Pieterse left the franchise to link up with the Canon Eagles in Japan.
Pieterse was a vital link in the Kings chain and took over as head coach for a match when Davids was unable to travel to Europe last season.
Analyst Sean O’Dea has also left the franchise, and he is another key member of the backroom staff that will need to be replaced.
The Kings could win only one of their 21 matches last season, and a big step up will be required for the team to be competitive.
While many of the Pro14 teams have an extensive coaching staff, the Kings relied on Davids, Pieterse (forwards) and Chumani Booi (backline) to prepare the team.
Booi arrived at the Kings to replace Vuyo Zangqa, who took up a coaching position in Germany before the Pro14 kicked off.
The Kings, who kick off their Pro14 campaign against Italian outfit Zebre in Parma on September 1, have not played a warm-up yet because of injury concerns.
Fears of injuries to their depleted squad forced the Kings to cancel a proposed contact session against the Border Bulldogs at the last week.
The Kings had been hoping to prepare for their opening Pro14 match against with a tough workout against the Currie Cup First Division outfit.
Prior to the sponsorship announcement, player recruitment at the Kings stalled.
So far the Kings have contracted 27 players, and of that skeleton squad, 10 are busy with rehabilitation and some have niggles.
Davids said after training last week that scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius and prop Rossouw de Klerk had picked up niggles.
“Sarel injured his foot and Rossouw injured a chest muscle and we are awaiting reports on their fitness.”
Davids is concerned about player numbers, and has said he lays awake at night and was riding an emotional rollercoaster ahead of his team’s opening match.
“The biggest problem has been not having a big enough squad to replicate things in training like attack and defence,” said Davids.