Davids expresses his feeling on Southern Kings liquidation
Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids emotional about EC team
Concerned Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids says his heart is with his former Southern Kings players after they were left unemployed following the team’s liquidation.
Davids coached the Kings in Super Rugby and the Guinness PRO14 before he parted ways with the team after the Greatest Rugby Company in the Whole Wide World took control of the franchise.
On Saturday Davids will be coaching the Gold team in a Springbok trial match against Mzwandile Stick’s Green team at Newlands.
During his time at the Kings, Davids was forced to compete at international level with hastily assembled squads comprising mostly journeymen.
During a virtual media conference ahead of Saturday’s Newlands showdown, Davids spoke emotionally about the plight of the Kings.
“I was hugely privileged to be part of the Southern Kings,” he said.
“I have very special memories and am grateful for the opportunity to have been there.
“It is never easy to be in the situation that they have been in. My heart is with the players and the whole region.
“In my mind, I think it is really sad that it has happened. There are maybe different reasons for that.
“I still feel that with the talent pool all over SA and the talent that we know coming out of that region, we will still in the future see some good players coming from there.”
Davids has also issued a warning to the Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks who are set to make their PRO1 debut in 2021.
“The PRO14 is a very good competition. It is a very challenging competition,” he said.
“You play week in and week out against different cultures in different countries.
“You are playing against very different coaching minds, on different surfaces.
“So, it is a tough and very challenging competition.
“I think our teams possibly might be a bit slow out of the blocks.
“But, eventually I think they will adapt.
“Looking at our playing talent that we have in SA rugby, I think it would be a very, very exciting competition to be in.
“The advantages of playing up north is based on the different experiences that you get in terms of rugby.
“You have to adjust your style according to the different circumstances.
“The different approaches from a technical point of view are focused more in certain areas of the game than what they are in Super Rugby.
“Obviously, Super Rugby is a fantastic competition, where you also play against fantastic teams,” he said.
‘ I think that it will be a unique experience; it will be something different.
“Eventually, it will be very interesting to see how our teams compete.”