Chance for Kings to fine-tune before clash
Game against Stormers also opportunity to assess level of players
There is a golden chance for the Isuzu Southern Kings to pounce and grab a rare win when they confront a depleted Stormers outfit in Knysna on Friday.
With a high-profile warm-up clash against the Sharks looming at FNB Stadium on Sunday, the Stormers are expected to use mainly backup players.
The Cape franchise won’t quite be at full strength because Stormers coach John Dobson has said he will be playing a stronger team against the Sharks.
“We do have the commitment to the Super Hero day and Siya Kolisi will be leading the side at the FNB Stadium,” Dobson said.
“But we do owe it to Knysna and to the integration of some of our Springboks back into the team to field a strongish team in Friday night’s game.
“Someone like Bok prop Frans Malherbe might not be suited to a fast-paced game at altitude this soon after coming back to training and it will be less of a risk to play him in Knysna.
“The same holds for some of our other senior players.”
The warm-up game, which will be played at Loerie Park, affords Kings interim head coach Robbi Kempson an opportunity to fine-tune his plans for the Guinness PRO 14 season.
After the Stormers clash, the Kings face a make-or-break PRO14 game against the Cheetahs at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on January 25.
While the Kings already have eight PRO14 games under their belt, the Stormers are just starting what promises to be an arduous Super Rugby journey.
Like the Stormers, Kempson is also likely to rest some of his front-line players.
“One or two of the Kings players will be rested for this fixture in view of us doing extra conditioning work going forward on the PRO14,” he said.
“We will make a few positional switches for some guys, an example being Bader Pretorius (flyhalf) getting a go at inside centre.
“We will be talking 26 players to Knysna so we will take some fringe players to see how they have adapted to the way things have been going.
“We will be able to see if they can step into the breach if we have an injury later in the season. “So this game in Knysna is a good chance to give peripheral players a players a good run against the Stormers.
“I have been speaking to John Dobson and they are not necessarily going to to bring their full-strength side.
“This will be a good hit-out for both camps with regard to the depths in our squads and to see where some of our younger players are.”