Chance for Southern Kings to rest battered bodies
A four-week break over December will allow the Isuzu Southern Kings to get their battered bodies back into shape, Kings captain Howard Mnisi said.
After losing to Connacht, the Kings will next be in action in the Guinness PRO14 when they face Edinburgh in Scotland on January 4.
The enforced break is because the Kings are not eligible to play in the European games which are now taking place.
“In Port Elizabeth we can tick all the boxes and then go to Edinburgh and play the best game possible,” Mnisi said.
“We are looking forward to this period where we can sort ourselves out in terms of both defence and attack and get the bodies right again.
“I’m sure a few guys took some shots against Connacht and will be looking to get their bodies right again.
“Ultimately the Kings are looking to improve every game.
“I think the progress is there, but the results are not coming.”
The defeat against Connacht was the Kings’ sixth in seven outings, and left them bottom of Conference B.
At this stage it is not known whether the Kings will have a new head coach before they travel to Scotland.
Interim head coach Robbi
Kempson says he does not want the job on a full-time basis, and wants to return to his original appointment of director of high performance.
“There are definite plans to ensure we get a high-calibre coach to come in as head coach of the Southern Kings,” Kempson said.
Kings chairman Loyiso Dotwana said efforts to find a new coach for his Guinness PRO14 team had not been finalised.
“It is still an ongoing process and any announcement will be made once there have been further developments,” he said.
Former Springbok assistant coach Swys de Bruin has been brought in as consultant and regularly attends Kings training sessions.