MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

EP Kings vs Valke

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Friday evening will be the local rugby going public’s last chance to see the Kings play on home turf before travelling down to Wellington next week to contest the final against Boland (presuming that the Kings AND Boland both win their semi-final games).

The Valke have not beaten the EP Kings in the last three seasons and face the tough task of travelling to Port Elizabeth for their Absa Currie Cup First Division semi-final against the defending champions.

In fact, before this season the team from the East Rand, who still played in the Premier Division in 2008, won only one of their 20 league matches in the First Division. This season they have shown a marked improvement and have won four out of their ten games.

However, the Valke will have to improve even more if they are going to trouble the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth. In their last four encounters, the team from the Eastern Cape have won with an average score of 41-17.

The EP Kings will be playing without Captain Luke Watson who took a knock to the head during practise on Monday this week.

A significant new entrant to the EP Kings side is Number 11, Andile Witbooi who has come up the ranks from the EP U21 Academy Team who came in for some praise from coach Alan Solomons; “Andile is a good player who has got blistering pace and good feet. He is a good lad and has fitted into the senior team well.”

The Falcons have been seen to play negatively against the EP Kings especially in previous matches and Kings Captain, Darron Nell, remarked; “Discipline is our biggest thing going into the game.”

With eight senior players ruled out of contention as a result of injury and sickness EP will field a new midfield combination in Joe Breytenbach and Jaco Bekker but also welcome a leaner Vice Captain and scrumhalf, Falie Oelschig back who; “… can’t wait to get back on the field and I am hoping to add a lot of value. Four weeks is the longest I have ever been away from the game.”

A succesful outcome to Friday’s game will see the EP Kings travel doen to Boland next week to play in the First Division final at 4:30 pm.

Teams:

  • EP Kings: 15 SP Marais, 14 Norman Nelson, 13 Joe Breytenbach, 12 Jaco Bekker, 11 Andile Witbooi, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Falie Oelschig, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Devin Oosthuizen, 6 Darron Nell (captain), 5 Ross Kennedy, 4 Wayne van Heerden, 3 Clint Newland, 2 Bobby Dyer, 1 Ronnie Uys. Replacements: 16 Frank Herne, 17 André Schlechter, 18 Barend Pieterse, 19 Mpho Mbiyozo, 20 Danie Faasen, 21 George Whitehead, 22 Tiger Mangweni.
  • Valke: 15 John-Wessel Bell, 14 Willie Odendaal, 13 Franco Booysen, 12 Clinton Kayser, 11 Heinrich Rademeyer, 10 Juan Kotze, 9 Jaco Snyman, 8 Marco Kotze, 7 Bradley Fortuin, 6 Theo Becker, 5 Johan de Bruin, 4 Chris Ehlers, 3 Zander de Kock, 2 Shöne van der Walt (captain), 1 Zane Kilian. Replacements: 16 Enzo Venter, 17 Nico Engelbrecht, 18 Pieter Lubbe, 19 Christopher Yearsley, 20 Kyle Hendricks, 21 Coert Cronje, 22 Warren Perkins.

Last four meetings in Absa Currie Cup First Division:

  • 7 August 2010: EP Kings won 38-3 in Port Elizabeth
  • 17 September 2010: EP Kings won 50-35 in Kempton Park
  • 5 August 2011: EP Kings won 36-20 in Kempton Park
  • 16 September 2011: EP Kings won 40-10 in Port Elizabeth

Both games will be televised live on Supersport 1 on DStv.

Your Weekend’s Rugby:

  • Regent Boland Cavaliers vs Tasol Solar Griffons: Friday, 7 October, kick-off at 16:00, in the Boland Stadium, Wellington. Referee: Jason Jaftha. Assistant referees: Mark Lawrence, Cobus Wessels. Television match official: JC Fortuin
  • EP Kings vs Valke: Friday, 7 October, kick-off at 18:30, in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth. Referee: Pro Legoete. Assistant referees: Joey Salmans, Stefan Breytenbach. Television match official: Johann Meuwesen
  • Ford Pumas vs Toyota Free State Cheetahs: Friday, 7 October, kick-off at 19:10, in the Puma Stadium, Witbank. Referee: Sindile Mayende
  • GWK Griquas vs Vodacom Blue Bulls: Saturday, 8 October, kick-off at 15:00, in the GWK Park, Kimberley. Referee: Lourens vd Merwe
  • MTN Golden Lions vs DHL Western Province: Saturday, 8 October, kick-off at 17:05, in the Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg. Referee: Jaco Peyper
  • Platinum Leopards vs The Sharks: Saturday, 8 October, kick-off at 19:10, in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng. Referee: Joey Salmans
  • Springboks vs Australia: Sunday, 9 October, kick-off at 07:00, in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Absa Under-21B Semi-finals will also be contested at the NMB Stadium on Friday 7 October when the EP Kings vs Pumas game takes place at 15:30

The following rules will apply in all the semi-finals and finals of the Absa Currie Cup (Premier and First Divisions), Absa Under 21 and Absa Under 19 (Section A & B) to be played in October 2011.

Semi-finals: If scores are level after the scheduled time, the team that will proceed to the finals will be determined as follows:
a) the team scoring the most points within a 20 (twenty) minute extra time (10 minutes each way with a one (1) minute break), and if still level
b) the team scoring the most tries in the semi-final match, including extra time; and if still level
c) the team with the highest log position immediately prior to the semi-final match.
Note: Paragraph (a) will not apply to Under 19 Rugby

Finals: If scores are level after the scheduled time, the winner will be determined as follows:
a) the team scoring the most points within a (20) twenty minute extra time (10 minutes each way with a one (1) minute break); and if still level
b) the team with the highest log position immediately prior to the semi-final matches in that competition during the current season shall be the winner.
Note: Paragraph (a) will not apply for Under 19 Rugby

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.