Big lock to reach century
Kings’ Sykes in 100th Premier Division game on Saturday
GIANT Eastern Province lock Steven Sykes says he will not let the hype of a 100th Currie Cup Premier Division appearance distract him from doing his best to ensure the Kings gain a vital victory over Griquas on Saturday.
All eyes will be on Sykes as the Kings attempt to get a precious win at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium that will keep them from plummeting to the bottom of the Premier Division log.
“I think it is just another game for me,” the 31-year-old Sykes said as he looked back on his long career of top-flight rugby.
“When I run onto the field I have one job to do. That is my role . . . to make sure we walk off the field victorious against Griquas.”
The towering Sykes has been a pillar of strength for the EP Kings since he joined the union after a long stint at the Sharks.
“In my very first Premier Division game I sat on the bench for the Sharks against Eastern Province and here I am playing my 100th game. I never thought I would get here and I have been fortunate not to have had any serious injuries.
“I am lucky to be here and I want to thank everybody who has supported me.”
The Kings have managed to win only one of their opening seven matches in the Premier Division and this has left them second from bottom on the log, just one point above Griquas.
“We are just looking at it as an- other game and we not looking at the log. It is a building phase for us going into Super Rugby and we might be getting a couple of new players,” Sykes said.
“The Kings have a lot of young guys who are only in their first or second season of Currie Cup rugby. We have been really competitive all season. A lot of matches that did not go our way could have gone the other way.
“If that had happened it would have been a completely different story on the log.”
Sykes attended Cradock Primary School and Marlow Agricultural High, and represented EP at various age-group levels, including the EP U13 team in 1997 and the EP Craven Week team in 2002.
In 2003, Sykes linked up with the Sharks Academy in Durban and that year he also represented South Africa at the World U19 Championship.
On Saturday, Sykes will be packing down at lock with the upand-coming Cornell Hess in what should be a hotly contested clash.
Previous results between the two sides suggest the Kings will have to fend off a fierce assault from Griquas if they want to emerge with the vital log points.
Last year, when the Kings won only one of the 10 matches they played in the Premier Division, they slumped to a heavy 45-25 defeat to Griquas in Kimberley.
In the Vodacom Cup this year Griquas again held the upper hand, emerging 27-19 winners at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Kings coach Brent Janse van Rensburg said: “We need to focus on our processes and aim to play to our full potential.” The weekend’s matches are: Tomorrow: 8pm: Sharks v Bulls (Durban). Saturday: 1pm: Free State Cheetahs v Golden Lions (Bloemfontein). 3:30pm: Western Province v Pumas (Cape Town). 3:30pm: EP Kings v Griquas (Port Elizabeth).