There were contrasting emotions in the Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings camps following the dramatic Guinness PRO14 derby between the sides at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday in which a brave comeback allowed the Free Staters to edge through 31-30. (SEE report here) While Isuzu Southern Kings coach Robbie Kempson was angry at his team’s last-minute defeat, Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie praised his side’s fighting spirit and veteran scrumhalf Ruan … [Read more...] about 1 Winner and 1 Loser in SA’s Guinness PRO14 camps
southern kings
Toyota Cheetahs will enter match as favourites
The Isuzu Southern Kings and Toyota Cheetahs will be bracing themselves for an action-packed Guinness PRO14 derby on Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth in what will mark the first encounter between the sides this season and the only match of the weekend. Pride will be a big factor for both sides, but a good result will be of utmost importance too. The Free Staters are determined to win to remain close to the top of the log in their conference to stay in contention … [Read more...] about Toyota Cheetahs will enter match as favourites
Stormers Kings Knysna Clash
The Isuzu Southern King and DHL Stormers will be out to test their respective squad depth when they take each other on in a friendly encounter in Knysna on Friday, 17 January 2020. The Isuzu Southern Kings recently started the second half of their 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 season and have a crucial derby ahead against the Cheetahs which will be played in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, January 25. Meanwhile, the Cape Town-based Stormers is preparing for the start of their 2020 Super Rugby … [Read more...] about Stormers Kings Knysna Clash
Schalk Ferreira to start against Edinburgh
The experienced Schalk Ferreira will taste his first bit of Guinness PRO14 action for the 2019/20 season when he earns a starting berth for the Isuzu Southern Kings in their clash against Edinburgh Rugby on Saturday, January 4. The 35-year-old will be making a return from a back injury that has sidelined him since pre-season. Also back in the starting XV this week is Courtney Winnaar, who will don the No15 jersey. The Isuzu Southern Kings are expecting a thrilling encounter against an … [Read more...] about Schalk Ferreira to start against Edinburgh
Not only Nikki Straton is off to Scotland
The Isuzu Southern Kings team heads for Scotland today ahead of their Guinness PRO14 clash against Edinburgh Rugby at BT Murrayfield on Saturday, January 4. (And Nikki Straton returns to Scotland tomorrow - look out for her chaps if you pop in to Glasgow for some R&R!) After a short Christmas break, the side has been hard at training over the past week in preparation for their first match of the new year. Isuzu Southern Kings interim Head Coach, Robbi Kempson, is pleased with the work his … [Read more...] about Not only Nikki Straton is off to Scotland
Kings Team to Face Connacht
The Isuzu Southern Kings have named a 25-man touring group that will leave Port Elizabeth early next week for Galway, Ireland, where they will take on Connacht Rugby at The Sportsground on Saturday, November 30. The traveling party includes new faces in hooker, Chad Solomon, who is on a short-term loan from Western Province, experienced tighthead prop, De-Jay Terblanche, who re-joined the team he represented last season, scrumhalf Theo Maree from the Bulls and utility back, Scott van Breda, … [Read more...] about Kings Team to Face Connacht
Isuzu Southern Kings make history in Guinness PRO14
There was unbridled joy for the Isuzu Southern Kings in the Guinness PRO14 on Saturday as they made history by registering their first away win in the competition and their first win of the season against Ospreys in Swansea, while ill-discipline saw the Toyota Cheetahs suffer their third defeat in a row, as they went down to the Cardiff Blues. The Isuzu Southern Kings held on for a narrow 16-14 victory in atrocious weather at the Liberty Stadium to record a morale boosting win, while the … [Read more...] about Isuzu Southern Kings make history in Guinness PRO14
Kings Team to Face Ospreys
“Cool and experienced” centre, Howard Mnisi, will lead the Isuzu Southern Kings on Saturday when they take on the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium in Swansea. Isuzu Southern Kings interim Head Coach, Robbi Kempson, named his match-day squad of 23 on Friday having made a few changes to the team that will see an alteration to the leadership in the last of three matches of the South African side’s first European tour of the 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 season. “Howard Mnisi is our captain,” confirmed … [Read more...] about Kings Team to Face Ospreys
Big Loss for Kings
The Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings learned “tough lessons” in the testing northern hemisphere conditions in the Guinness PRO14 over the weekend, with both sides suffering defeats in their second tour matches. The Isuzu Southern Kings went down 50-0 against last season’s finalists, the Glasgow Warriors, in Scotland, while the Toyota Cheetahs went down 17-13 in a tightly-fought encounter against the Scarlets in Wales – with heavy rain and icy conditions greeting both sides. Isuzu … [Read more...] about Big Loss for Kings
Dweba strikes 50 as SA teams search for Guinness PRO14 tour wins
The Toyota Cheetahs will have the extra motivation of making Joseph Dweba’s 50th cap a memorable one on Saturday when they face the Scarlets in Wales in their second Guinness PRO14 tour match, while the Isuzu Southern Kings will attempt to register their first win of the season when they meet the Glasgow Warriors in Scotland on Friday. The Free Staters, who suffered a heart-breaking 24-22 defeat against Connacht last week, will look to return to their winning ways after a blazing start to … [Read more...] about Dweba strikes 50 as SA teams search for Guinness PRO14 tour wins
Ruaan Lerm to lead Kings against Glasgow Warriors
Isuzu Southern Kings No 8, Ruaan Lerm, will lead the side as captain when they take on Glasgow Warriors, at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday, November 1. Lerm will lead a side that sees a single change to the forwards pack, with an additional positional switch, to the team that narrowly went down to Benetton in Treviso last week. Workhorse loose-forward, Thembelani Bholi, who came off the bench last week, has been slotted in at blindside flanker in the starting XV. Bobby de Wee, who donned the … [Read more...] about Ruaan Lerm to lead Kings against Glasgow Warriors
Losses for Kings and Cheetahs
It was double heartbreak for the South African Guinness PRO14 sides on Saturday as a last-gasp try by Irish outfit Connacht ended the Toyota Cheetahs unbeaten run, while the Isuzu Southern Kings went down fighting against Italian side Benetton. The Toyota Cheetahs were 22-14 ahead against Connacht in Galway with minutes to play, but a red card to Dries Swanepoel (centre) and a few costly penalties conceded saw Tom Farrell (Connacht replacement centre) score two late tries to secure the hosts … [Read more...] about Losses for Kings and Cheetahs
Kings and Benetton Teams
Sibusiso Sithole and Bobby de Wee will earn starting berths for the Isuzu Southern Kings when they take on Benetton Rugby at Stadio Monigo in Treviso, Italy, on Saturday. Kick-off for the match is 16h00 (SA time). Former South Africa Sevens star, Sithole, who provided backline cover from the bench in the opening three matches of the 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 season at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, will make his first start of the season at outside centre where he will partner up with … [Read more...] about Kings and Benetton Teams
Kings Travelling Squad
The Isuzu Southern Kings are in their final preparations for the first tour of the 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 season. Following three opening matches at home at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the team will now travel to Italy, Scotland and Wales over the next three weeks where they will take on Benetton (Stadio Manigo, October 26), Glasgow Warriors (Scotstoun Stadium, November 1) and Ospreys (Liberty Stadium, November 9). A 26-man playing squad will travel early next week for Treviso, Italy. … [Read more...] about Kings Travelling Squad
Kings in Search of First Win
Toyota Cheetahs coach Franco Smith will look to sign off his spell in Bloemfontein on a high note on Friday by continuing their unbeaten run in the Guinness PRO14 against Munster, while the Isuzu Southern Kings have emphasised the importance of rounding off their point-scoring chances when they meet Ulster in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. In Port Elizabeth, the Isuzu Southern Kings will be looking to draw inspiration from the Toyota Cheetahs’ big win over Ulster last week when they meet at the … [Read more...] about Kings in Search of First Win
