After the loss to the Lions this past weekend it seemed as if the wheels on the Kings bus was coming of completely with numerous players and coaches announcing their departure. The players and coaches who have been reported to be leaving the kings are as follow...
Players leaving:
Brandise Maku, Kevin Buys, David Bulbring, Wimpie van der Walt, Jacques Engelbrecht, Daniel Adongo, Demetri Catrakillis, Waylon Murray and SP Marais.
Loan players who have returned to their unions since the beginning of super rugby
Shaun Venter back to pumas but will join cheetahs at the end of the year, Edgar Maratlule back to the leopards, Grant Kemp back to SWD, Hadley Parkes back to Auckland.
International players who have also left:
Thomas Leonardi & Virgile Lecombe
Coaching staff who have left
Andy Solomon's director of rugby, Omar Morenheime defense coach, Brad Mooar skills coach
One would think that the Kings would be completely demorilised by the fact that so many players and coaches have left the union. However, taking a closer look at who remains you realise that they might even be in a better position now than they where at the same time last year. Sure they have lost some players, but are they worse off than last year this time?
Current Starting XV (after players have left)
1) Jaco Engels
2) Hannes Franklin
3) Schalk Ferreira
4) Steven Sykes
5) Darron Nell
6) Cornell du Preez
7) Devin Oosthuizen / Mpho Mbiyozo
8) Luke Watson
9) Scott Mathie (uncertainty about Vergallo)
10) George Whitehead
11) Marcelo Sampson / Michael killian
12) Andries Strauss / Shane Gates
13) Ronnie Cooke / Scott van Breda
14) Sergeal Peterson
15) Shakes Soyizwapi
Starting XV 2012
1) Schalk Ferreira
2) Hannes Franklin
3) Clint Newland
4) Darron Nell
5) David Bulbring
6) Luke Watson
7) Wimpie van der Waldt
8) Jacques Engelbrecht
9) Scott Mathie
10) Wesley Dunlop
11) Marcelo Sampson
12) Tiger Mangweni
13) Wayne Stevens
14) Paul Perez
15) SP Marais
Not much to choose between the two squads but keep in mind that the amount of experience gained by the team since 2012 make it a completely different team. Players like Du Preez, Sampson, Peterson, Soyizwapi, van Breda, Whitehead & Gates all getting their first taste of top flight rugby and gaining massive amounts of experience. The biggest challenge will now be to keep the players used to the high pace rugby and arranging proper games for them to stay sharp for the promo relegation games in 2014. One or two more signings here and there and some players coming through the academy system they might even be competitive come 2014. Anything can happen, Keep the Faith.
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