Unchanged Kings side to face Lions
[caption id="attachment_41818" align="alignright" width="250"] STEVEN SYKES. Picture: GALLO IMAGES[/caption]
EP KINGS head coach Carlos Spencer has shown faith in the team that went down 35-16 to Western Province last week by naming an unchanged starting lineup to face the Golden Lions on Saturday.
The only change is on the bench where experienced lock Steven Sykes takes the place of Darron Nel for what promises to be a tough Currie Cup Premier Division clash at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
"There were some first-game jitters last week and hopefully we have gotten them out of the way and that is why we decided to stick with the same 15," Spencer said when he announced the team. "We have not made any changes so we are showing our faith and our confidence in this group to do the job this week. So hopefully they will realise that and take that on board.
"Steven Sykes is lacking a bit of game preparation and fitness and that is why he is on the bench this week and he will definitely get some time this weekend."
Spencer said the mood in the EP camp was still upbeat, despite the defeat on the opening day of the season at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
"In this competition anyone can beat anyone on the day. That is the way, I believe, this competition is and there are still nine more games to come. I said to the boys 'did you watch the rugby this weekend' and how open this competition is. They are excited by that.
"We are going to Ellis Park with a certain game plan and that is what we must focus on more than anything else." Hooker Edgar Marutlule starts for his second game and Albe de Swardt is on the bench which meant there was no room in the squad for one of the Kings' biggest off-season signings, Michael van Vuuren.
"Michael is still in conditioning and we just believe at the moment he is not ready in terms of the way we want to play the game.
"But make no doubt about it, he will come into it before this Currie Cup is out. So he is just sitting there. We are fuelling him with coal and hopefully when he comes out he is going to be on fire."
The Kings team: Lizo Gqoboka, Edgar Marutlulle, Tom Botha, Steven Cummins, David Bulbring, Thembelani Bholi, Stefan Willemse, Luke Watson (captain), Tobie Botes, Gary van Aswegen, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Shane Gates, Tim Whitehead, Ronnie Cooke, Scott van Breda. Replacements: Albe de Swardt, CJ van der Linde, Steven Sykes, Aidon Davis, Kevin Luiters, George Whitehead, Ntabeni Dukisa. - George Byron
