The Eastern Province Kings got a rude awakening of just how brutal the ABSA Currie Cup Competition can be when they travelled to Ellis Park to face the Xerox Lions in their first round match.
The Lions taught them a valuable lesson; respect is earned and you have to fight for every inch on the field as they outscored the Kings 9 tries to 3.
Ronnie Cooke managed to score the opening try for the Kings after just two minutes, but that was unfortunately the only say the Kings had for the next 38 minutes, as the Lions scored 4 tries in the first half.
Aidon Davis and Scott van Breda scored the Kings' second half tries, with van Breda and Gary van Aswegen adding one conversion each.
Both teams had to make some changes to their sides that played in the first game in Johannesburg.
Up front for the Kings, Egar Marutlulle and Tom Botha retain there spots at hooker and tight head with BG Uys replacing Lizo Gqoboka at loose head. Steven Sykes replaces Steven Cummins to finish off the tight five, and on the flank Paul Schoeman replaces Stefan Willemse.
Amongst the backs, Kevin Luiters replaces Tobie Botes who also forms a new combination with George Whitehead as he replaces Gary van Aswegen.
Shane Gates will also have a new mid field partner this weekend as Ronnie Cooke replaces injured Tim Whitehead, this means Siyanda Grey will come in on the wing with Siviwe Soyizwapi. Scott van Breda will fill in at his regular position at the back.
The Kings have also made some changes to their bench with Mike van Vuuren replacing Albe De Swardt, Charles Marais replacing CJ van der Linde. Shaun MacDonald and Stefan Willemse comes in to cover at lock and loose forward. Tobie Botes moves to the bench for the return match with Dwayne Jenner and Ntbeni Dukisa.
The Lions also had to make some late changes to their side that beat the Kings, 60 - 19, a fortnight ago.
The changes amongst the forwards are, Armand van der Merwe replaces Robbie Coetzee at hooker and Warwick Tecklenburg replaces Derick Minnie who moves to the bench.
Changes amongst the backs see, Andries Coetzee moving from fullback where he played in the last match to flyhalf where he replaces Jaco van der Walt. Alwyn Hollenbach replaces Harold Vorster at inside center and Courtnall Skosan replacing Ruan Combrinck who moves to fullback in the only other change to the backline.
Kick-off will be at 7pm.
EP Kings:
15 Scott van Breda 14 Siyanda Grey13 Ronnie Cooke12 Shane Gates 11 Siviwe Soyizwapi 10 George Whitehead 9 Kevin Luiters 8 Aidon Davis 7 Paul Schoeman 6 Thembelani Bholi 5 Steven Sykes 4 David Bulbring 3 Tom Botha 2 Edgar Marutlulle 1 BG Uys
Reserves:
16 Mike van Vuuren 17 Charles Marais 18 Shaun MacDonald 19 Stefan Willemse 20 Tobie Botes 21 Dwayne Jenner 22 Ntbeni Dukisa
Xerox Lions:
15 Ruan Combrinck 14 Lionel Mapoe (c) 13 Stokkies Hanekom 12 Alwyn Hollenbach 11 Courtnall Skosan 10 Andries Coetzee 9 Ross Cronje 8 Willie Britz 7 Warwick Tecklenburg 6 Jaco Kriel 5 Franco Mostert 4 MB Lusaseni 3 Ruan Dreyer 2 Armand van der Merwe 1 Schalk van der Merwe
Reserves:
16 Willie Wepener 17 Jacques van Rooyen 18 Martin Muller 19 Derick Minnie 20 Albertus “Kwagga” Smith 21 Ricky Schroeder 22 Howard Mnisi
No comments:
Post a Comment