The Eastern Province Kings will be heading to Durban this week as they face off against the Sharks XV at Growthpoint Kings Park stadium on Friday in what is to be their final match of the 2014 Vodacom Cup competition.
Vodacom Cup head coach, Mzwandile Stick, announced a team that was relatively unchanged from the team that defeated the Regent Boland Cavaliers at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on the 11th of April, with the final score 28 – 21 in favour of the home side.
Albé de Swardt will once again captain the side, with Ntabeni Dukisa as vice captain. Stefan Willemse moves from Openside Flank to Lock, to stand in for Louis Fourie – who is out following a fractured cheekbone sustained during Boland game – while Siphesihle Punguzwa moves up from the bench to Openside Flank.
Sergeal Petersen, who has been named as part of the 28-man strong Junior Springbok squad, replaces Ofentse Boloko on Left Wing, and Malcolm Jaer takes up Fullback in place of Masixole “Coyi” Banda.
Stick said Jaer, who was still at Brandwag last year, would be given an opportunity to start in the final game of the season.
I have always kept to my word, and have said that this competition is about giving the youngsters an opportunity to show what they are capable of,” he said.
Stick said the win against Boland had been a great morale booster for the team and he hoped that they would be able to finish the season off on a high note.
“I want them to give their best and run with the ball if the opportunities present themselves,” he said.
“I want them to know that they can play at this level. They will be playing against a team that has already qualified [for the quarter finals] and it will be a tough game,” he said.
De Swardt said the team would be looking to give it their all on Friday.
“We had a tough start to the season, and if we had stuck to the game plan, we could have been more competitive. We had a good game against the SWD Eagles, although we let it slip towards the end, but we built on that going into the Boland game and won the game
De Swardt said the team had, as a whole, learnt a lot this season, and were looking forward to playing their last game in Durban.
“This is our last game, we need to grab the opportunity and end well and get the respect back from our fans, our coaches, and the union,” he said.
The team is:
- 1. Lizo Gqoboka, 2. Albe de Swardt (Captain), 3. Pieter Stemmet, 4. Stefan Willemse, 5. Cameron Lindsay, 6. Thembelani Bholi, 7. Siphesihle Punguzwa, 8. Aidon Davis, 9. Dwayne Kelly, 10. Ntabeni Dukisa, 11. Sergeal Petersen, 12. Andile Jho, 13. Michael Bernardt, 14. Eben Barnard, 15. Malcolm Jaer
- Replacements: 16. Dane van der Westhuyzen, 17. Simon Kerrod, 18. Tyler Paul, 19. Ivan-John du Preez, 20. Kayle Van Zyl, 21. Morne Hugo, 22. Brian Skosana
Alan Straton
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