So it is being reported that Mike Catt will play for an Alan Solomons coached, Solly Tyibilika captained Southern Kings side against the British and Irish Lions.
This is slightly surprising, seeing Solly as captain, seeing as when he was playing for the bigger franchises he often didn’t ‘make it to practice’
Maybe this is one of those cases of making the delinquent in charge? They tried that with me in High School and see how well I turned out!
Mike Catt, who is nearly 38 and a former Lion, has been included in a provisional Southern Kings XV consisting mainly of former players from the Eastern Cape to face the Lions.
The team selected is not final and it is uncertain whether all the players are available.
Apparently not available are Gcobani Bobo (WP), Skipper Badenhorst (Sharks), Fabian Juries (Cheetahs), Hilton Lobberts (WP), Albert van den Berg (Sharks) and Luke Watson (WP).
The launch of the Eastern Cape franchise coincides with the match against the touring Lions.
The Southern Kings team list as forwarded by Solomons is as follows:
Tiger Mangweni, Vuyo Zangqa, Rudi Coetzee, De Wet Barry, Wylie Human, Mike Catt, Neil de Kock, Darren Nel, Solly Tyibilika (captain), Trevor Hall, Ross Skeate, Mpho Mboyosi, BJ Botha, Hanyani Shimange, Daan Human.
This team is better than I thought it would be, but I can’t see anyone hurrying to want to get a hiding from the Lions, so expect it to change! After the way they dispatched the Xerox Lions who are a slightly more settled team than the Southern Kings can expect to be, I shudder at the thought of this outcome!
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SA Rugby has announced the Squads for the upcoming Lions Tours games.
No player who has played for SA is selected for the emerging Boks. Looks pretty decent to me. This is a very strong position we find ourselves in when we can select two such sides. Obviously we can only select a certain amount of players and this is a well balanced selection.
There will be a few knobs who will bemoan a few selections, but in my HUMBLE opinion, well done selectors.
SPRINGBOKS
Forwards (14):
John Smit – Sharks (81) – Captain
Victor Matfield – Vodacom Blue Bulls (80) – Vice-Captain
Andries Bekker – Vodacom Western Province (13)
Bakkies Botha – Vodacom Blue Bulls (55)
Schalk Burger – Vodacom Western Province (49)
Deon Carstens – Sharks (7)
Bismarck du Plessis – Sharks (21)
Ryan Kankowski – Sharks (7)
Tendai Mtawarira – Sharks (10)
Chiliboy Ralepelle – Vodacom Blue Bulls (3)
Danie Rossouw – Vodacom Blue Bulls (36)
Juan Smith – Vodacom Cheetahs (54)
Pierre Spies – Vodacom Blue Bulls (19)
Gurthrö Steenkamp – Vodacom Blue Bulls (20)
Backs (14):
Jean de Villiers – Vodacom Western Province (46)
Fourie du Preez – Vodacom Blue Bulls (43)
Jaque Fourie – Xerox Lions (42)
Bryan Habana – Vodacom Blue Bulls (46)
Adi Jacobs – Sharks (21)
Ricky Januarie – Vodacom Western Province (34)
Odwa Ndungane – Sharks (3)
Jongi Nokwe – Vodacom Cheetahs (3)
Wynand Olivier – Vodacom Blue Bulls (21)
Ruan Pienaar – Sharks (27)
JP Pietersen – Sharks (24)
Earl Rose – Xerox Lions (uncapped)
Frans Steyn – Sharks (27)
Morné Steyn – Vodacom Blue Bulls (uncapped)
EMERGING SPRINGBOKS
Forwards (12):
Jacques Botes – Sharks
Jean Deysel – Sharks
Wian du Preez – Vodacom Cheetahs
Werner Kruger – Vodacom Blue Bullsv Patrick Cilliers – Sharks
Tiaan Liebenberg – Vodacom Western Province
Bandisa Maku – Vodacom Blue Bulls
Dewald Potgieter – Vodacom Blue Bulls – Captain
Wilhelm Steenkamp – Vodacom Blue Bulls
Steven Sykes – Sharks
Franco van der Merwe – Xerox Lions
Duane Vermeulen – Vodacom Western Province
Backs (10):
Heini Adams – Vodacom Blue Bulls
Bjorn Basson – GWK Griquas
Burton Francis – Vodacom Blue Bulls
Zane Kirchner – Vodacom Blue Bulls
Louis Ludik – Xerox Lions
Morgan Newman – Vodacom Western Province
Earl Rose – Xerox Lions
Deon van Rensburg – Platinum Leopards
Jano Vermaak – Xerox Lions
Luzuko Vulindlu – Sharks
As Tom Cruises character Frank Mackey says in Magnolia when asked what he is doing…
“Im quietly judging you.”
Now rugby writers covering the Lions tour to SA need be scared and quake in their boots as I quietly judge them. Just like Frank Mackey does.
Well not so quietly.
Those of you that know me know that I generally know a lot about a lot of things. Therefore, nothing grates me more than someone who is writing specifically about one subject and can’t even get their basic info right. Now I don’t actually CARE if I get any of this wrong, as I’m not that kinda writer.
Don’t judge me.
I have for you exhibit A.
In an article for the Independant regarding the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa (which is now showing at a stadium near you BTW), reference is made of the matches that will be played on tour.
ROYAL XV, Saturday, May 30 Venue: Rustenburg (Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace), Capacity: 38,000 Coach: Chaka Willemse. Key players (possible): Michael Bondesio, Dennis Brits, Hannes Franklin. History: An invitational team likely to comprise players from sides like Valke, the Leopards and Pumas as the Lions open their tour at altitude. Verdict: Should prove a comfortable opening victory for the tourists.
Umm ok! Firstly the Stadium is actually seats 42 000 [wiki wiki] but that’s just nitpicking. I have never heard of any of those okes mentioned. The team was made up largely of Griquas players. 11 in fact. The verdict what with the benefit of hindsight, was that the Lions almost got fucked up.
Highly uncomfortable.
Exhibit B.
SHARKS, Wednesday, June 10 Venue: Durban (ABSA Stadium) Capacity: 52,000 Coach: John Plumtree. Key players: John Smit, Ruan Pienaar, Ryan Kankowski. History: Finished third in Super 12 or 14 rugby on three occasions. On their day, a devastating unit under the direction of former Swansea coach John Plumtree. Verdict: Comfortably the strongest of South Africa’s Super 14 sides, they could make life tough for the Lions.
There’s that word again. Comfortably the strongest? You clearly haven’t heard of the Bulls. You won’t read any Shark bashing on this site…. well not now anyway, simply because my team are so KAK! [The Stoners Stormers]
Then follows an arb game against the Southern Kings, who incidentally don’t even have a coach a team or ANYTHING yet, other than a vociferous leader in Cheeky Watson. Just what they need methinks.
I’m getting sidetracked here.
Exhibit C.
SOUTH AFRICA, June 20, June 27 and July 4. Venues: Durban (June 20), Pretoria (Loftus Versfeld, June 27) and Johannesburg (July 4) Capacities: 52,000 (Durban), 45,000 (Pretoria), 60,000 (Johannesburg) Coach: Peter de Villiers. Captain: John Smit. Key players: Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Bryan Habana. History: Current world champions, as they were in 1997 when the Lions last toured South Africa. Notoriously physical and powerful, history is on their side, having won seven Test series against their British and Irish visitors. Verdict: Test series might be closer than many people think, but South Africa to take it 2-1.
Notorious eh? How about key players “The Whole Team”… seriously though, Key player should really be Fourie du Preez. Unless of course you’ve been under a rock.
I also love the way this unnamed writer says currently Worls Champs, like they were last time. Very sneaky.
He then goes on to suggest it’s going on to be closer than we all think. Is it? I think the Boks should kill the Lions.
As for notorious this is what it ACTUALLY means, so we are powerful for bad reasons…?
Adj. 1. notorious – known widely and usually unfavorably; “a notorious gangster”; “the tenderloin district was notorious for vice”; “the infamous Benedict Arnold”;
Furthermore after the last few weeks, Morne Steyn must be the starting flyhalf. So roll on the rhetoric, I can’t wait for all this to be well and truly underway so we can actually see who is who. They’re playing the Lions this Wednesday and THAT should be the first real form indicator.
I back the Lions to win that one, geddit?
My money is on the the new look boks, in their new looks Jerseys, and this time by a long way.
"High Five x 2!!!!!!!! IS NICE!!!! JZ is coming I flippen LOVE JZ man!!"
President Jacob Zuma will meet with the Bulls team on Friday ahead of the Super 14 final this weekend, his office said.
“He just wants to meet with them and say, ‘good luck’,” said presidency spokesperson Zingaphi Jakuja.
Zuma, who can sing and dance, has denied he will be part of the famous bulls cheerleading troop. You can see him in action here.
He has said he enjoys all sports, including rugby, and is meeting the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld stadium at 14:00.
Contrary to rumours the meeting will not take place in the showers. Apparently Zuma had an incident with a shower when he was younger.
The Bulls are playing against New Zealand’s Chiefs on Saturday, where a capacity 52 000 crowd, few of which expect the visitors to win, will watch the match.
Rumours that tickets have been sold at R2500, which is a lot more than even The British and Irish Lions tickets, abound. That’s hardcore. The bulls are hardcore.
JZ is hardcore.
The Bulls won the Super 14 series in 2007. The entire country is naturally supporting our ‘fully sick boys’ to coin a phrase. The phrase has nothing to do with this…. at all.
As expected, the new South Africa franchise will be officially known as the Southern Kings.
I don’t know the history behind why they’re called this but anyway. I guess there is soemthing ‘ethnic’ behind the reasoning. I personally think they should have gone for a local tribal name or word to describe the team. Southern Kings sounds very ‘English’
The Eastern Cape franchise will launch with a game against the British & Irish Lions in Port Elizabeth on 16 June. Talk about a tough first up encounter!
The Kings squad will be named at a later date, but is set to include a host of Vodacom Cup players as well as players originally hailing from the region. I think they’re onto a hiding second to none.
Former Bulls mentor Heyneke Meyer has been linked to the job.
WP and the Stormers have confirmed Rassie Erasmus, who was being touted as a possible couch, will see out his contract with the Cape union which expires at the end of 2010.
