Elephants get leg-up

Former Italian test star Dries van Schalkwyk will lead the EP Elephants into battle when they face champions Western Province in a Super Sport Rugby Challenge clash at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele on Sunday.

Van Schalkwyk, who was in the Italian side that toppled the Boks in Florence two years ago, is one of eight Southern Kings PRO14 players in the Elephants’ starting lineup.

Other Kings players in the EP side are Allandre van Rooyen, Entienne Swanepoel, Giant Mtyanda, Eitel Bredenkamp, Jurie van Vuuren, Freddie Ngoza and Freddie Muller.

The Kings players on the bench are Siya Mdaka and Juan-Phillip Smith.

Also included in the side, for what will be a tough opener against the champions, are Madibaz and club players.

“We have been training with this squad all week,” coach Ryan Felix said.

“In the backline there are some players who played for me last year, so there will be some continuity in that regard.

“In training you could see these boys knew one another – they played together for me in EP U19 and U21, so they know the system.

“Last year we were dominated in the scrums, but now we have a solid pack of forwards.

“I cannot wait to see what the backs will produce with the ball we will get from the forwards.

“I know most people want to talk about the W, and I also want to talk about it

“But you must have things in place to get that W. For me it is about performance and we will take it week by week.

“The bigger picture is for EP to be there at top of the pinnacle. But how do you do that?
“The stakeholders, by whom I mean clubs, the university, PRO14 must have the same goal.

“I’ll organise the stadium one Sunday for church and prayer to get the thing we need, which is a sponsor.

“Nobody must go to their own church that Sunday. We will come here and pray for a big sponsor. That is going to help us at the end of the day.”

Felix said Sunday’s game, which will be shown live on television, was a wonderful chance for club players to showcase their skills on a bigger stage.

“I told them after training, this is a huge opportunity for the boys to show people there is talent here,” he said.

“In PE we are club-minded, not provincial. I am trying to change the mindset where people only think of their clubs.

“I cannot have a long-term goal with EP, because I only signed a one-year contract. If you have long-term goals you must have at least two or three years.

“There is nothing you can do in just one year. So it is a bit tough to put things in place. There is nothing, so we have to build from what we have now with small pieces. The agreement I have with Kings head coach Deon Davids is that most of the PRO14 boys will play between five and six matches for us.

“Some of their contracts come to an end next month, and some of the boys said they would see how far we are in the competition and then would perhaps stay a bit longer.

“But staying bit longer will cost them something.

“Their contracts will expire, so someone will have to look after them with accommodation and stuff like that.”

The EP team is (Nos 1 to 22):

Xander Vos (Grahamstown Brumbies), Allandre van Rooyen, Entienne Swanepoel, Giant Mtyanda, Dries van Schalkwyk (captain), Eitel Bredenkamp, Jurie van Vuuren, Freddie Ngoza and Freddie Muller (all Southern Kings), Henrique Olivier, Siphu Msutwana (both Madibaz), Andile Jho, Siyanda Grey (Bombers), Riaan Arendse (Progress), Keanu Vers. Replacements: Mbeko Kota (Spring Rose), Johan van Wyk, Wynand Grassmann (both Madibaz), Siya Mdaka, Juan-Phillip Smith (both Southern Kings), Reuben de Vos (Gardens), Nkululeko Marwana (Zwide).