No blues for fiery Kings

There was plenty of fighting talk coming from fiery Southern Kings loose forward Andisa Ntsila ahead of his team’s PRO14 clash against Cardiff Blues tomorrow.

Despite their poor record of 18 defeats from 19 starts, Ntsila believes the Kings have the ability to take on any team and they will be looking to prove that at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

Ntsila will undergo a late fitness test today after suffering an ankle strain against Munster and he could start from the bench against Cardiff. “Playing for the Kings every game is a tough one,” he said. “We prepare well for the best and we expect positive outcomes. But we also prepare for the worst conditions on the field.

“The guys are confident, especially after the showing against Munster, who are a highly-rated PRO14 side.

“We have the idea that if we put our minds to it and focus for 80 minutes of rugby we can take any team on.

“I think the Kings’ strength is with ball in hand and against Munster last week we showed that. We were five metres from our own line and we scored a try with two guys and a line of red Munster jerseys in front of them.

“Our skill is identifying space under pressure and shifting the ball well.

“Our brand of rugby here is quite different and I think it comes from the management staff that we work with. We can also match up physicality and our forwards pack has not been performing too badly in the competition.”

After tomorrow’s clash against Cardiff, the Kings will play their final game of the season against the Cheetahs in Port Elizabeth on April 28.
“We are looking to finish off the season on a high in our last two games as a group,” Ntsila said.

“Guys might be going to different areas and we might not play again together, so we are looking to finish well. We need good analysis on the weak points of our next opponents, Cardiff.

“We will work on our strengths to penetrate them, whether it is through the middle or on the outside. We know their centres shut and come up very well as a line.

“But there is always space on the field and we have to find it and make the right decision at the right time.”

Because of a flyhalf crisis, Ntabeni Dukisa is expected to wear the No 10 jersey against Cardiff.

Dukisa is in pole position to get the nod after flyhalfs were injured and others signed by rival teams. The latest setback was the groin injury Martin du Toit suffered against Munster.

The Kings will also be keen to shore up their defence, which has leaked 108 tries this season.

After the Cardiff clash, the Kings will complete their season with a match against the Cheetahs in Port Elizabeth on April 28.

The Kings will name their team today.