Southern Kings Director of Rugby and interim head coach, Robbie Kempson, said his charges have adjusted well to training under the COVID-19 safety guidelines and that the players were as happy as “kids with their hands in the cookie jar” to be back on the field.
After several weeks in lockdown, Isuzu Southern Kings speedster Yaw Penxe is itching to get back onto the field, but until then dressing up for training and being as creative as possible with home-based sessions will have to do to keep his fitness levels up.
The Isuzu Southern Kings were unable to make the most of their home ground advantage in their Guinness PRO14 clash against Connacht in Port Elizabeth on Sunday, and had to settle for a disappointing 29-19 defeat despite the visitors receiving an early red card.
If there is anybody who knows what it takes to bring the goods at the top level of professional rugby, it is Isuzu Southern Kings assistant coach, Braam van Straaten. The former Springbok flyhalf and ex-Wallabies kicking coach highlighted that the passion he has seen in the Isuzu Southern Kings troops is set to see them turn the corner in the Guinness PRO14.
Isuzu Southern Kings’ elusive fullback, Masixole Banda, will earn his 50th cap for the franchise when the side takes on the Toyota Cheetahs in a Guinness PRO14 Round 8 clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, January 25.
Isuzu Southern Kings coach Robbi Kempson believes this weekend’s PRO14 derby match against the Toyota Cheetahs in Port Elizabeth is the ideal opportunity for his side to draw a line in the sand and show how much they have improved over the past six months.
In Treviso, the Isuzu Southern Kings were in the game until a try either side of halftime caused a slump, seeing them fall 36-9 behind before three tries in the last quarter saw them fight back to a respectable 36-30 loss. But in the process kingpin and flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis was injured.