We won’t throw in the towel, say Kings

Rudolph Jacobs

The Kings will continue to fight despite their winless record in the Pro14 competition, insisted veteran prop Schalk Ferreira.

Ferreira was the captain in the 45-21 loss to the Cheetahs in Port Elizabeth last weekend, their 12th straight loss in the competition.

But for today’s return clash with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein Ferreira is replaced as skipper by hooker and regular skipper Michael Willemse who is over his stomach injury.

Last week the Kings managed to keep the score to just 31-21 but then conceded two late tries despite the Cheetahs being two players short.

“We fought really hard until the 70th minute,” said Ferreira.

“But I believe we could have done more when they had just 13 men,” he said.

If there’s one area where the Kings impressed last week it was in the scrums where Ferreira and Lions loan tighthead Pieter Scholtz managed to put the heat on the highly rated Ox Nche and Tom Botha.

Coach Deon Davids, who has been linked with the Springbok job but who said this week he hasn’t had contact with Saru’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, made seven changes.

With flyhalf Oliver Zono injured, centre Martin du Toit moves to pivot, opening the way for the return of former Shark Luzuku Vulindlu at No 12 to add more bite to the back division.

Yaw Penxe moves from fullback to left wing in place of Lions loan player Anthony Volmink who is ill.