AN intro in journalistic terms is the opening sentence or paragraph of a piece. Sometimes clever, often they’re contrived without any true relation to what follows. To avoid that trap let’s jump straight in at the deep-end.
Alan Solomons is an internationally revered rugby coach. Any number of world rugby’s best coaches will gladly attest to that. In taking on the curatorship of the EP Kings, the highly rated rugby guru has let himself in for the toughest task of his career.
Facing a demanding season in which, realistically, the EP Kings at the very least should aim to emerge top dogs in the Currie Cup B Section. This they failed to do in 2011, losing the final to Boland, who last week were hammered by the Sharks in Durban, 62-0. That’s how tough this season is going to be for the Kings as they gear themselves to take SARU up on its promise that in 2013, come hell or high water, the Kings will take their place among the elite of the South African conference of the Super Rugby competition involving ourselves, New Zealand and Australia.
Solomons has several fine players at his disposal. At home in PE last week the Kings remained competitive for some while. With stalwarts like prop Jaco Engel showing the way, the pack stuck to their task for much of the game. Then, too, the likes of Norman Nelson, scoring the Kings’ only try, showed pace and also courage on defence, following the example of fullback Tiger Mangweni. Solomons’ problems weren’t made any easier by the withdrawal of captain Luke Watson, with a shoulder injury. It goes without saying, too, that the flanker’s industry and experience were crucially missed. It’s uncertain whether he’ll be available for Saturday’s friendly, once more at home, in a match the Kings will be hoping will yield them a better result than the hiding Boland suffered.
Meanwhile let’s hope SARU are able to persuade their Super Rugby partners to allow a sixth SA team in the competition. Otherwise... well, you know what they say about promises. It’s sad but often they’re “made to be broken”. Because there isn’t any other decent way out of the grave SARU, through injudicious laying of its head on a block, has dug for itself.
Okay, let’s relax a little now. Did you watch rugby last Saturday from early morning Sevens in Las Vegas to the cancellation of the France-Ireland Six Nations game on a virtual ice-skating rink in Paris? Some of us did.
Did you pick up the difference between a Top 14 game on a literally frozen surface between Montclair and Racing, with SA players names swarming out of the woodwork on both sides? There was burly Springbok fullback Francois Steyn doing a great job for Racing, but to no avail as a tiny fair-haired fellow with a cheeky blond moustache scored the try that counted for Montclair. Who was that? Who else but one-test Springbok Brent Russell.
What a match! So full of movement and vigour. How dull by comparison was the Bulls-Cheetahs friendly in Polokwane. In perfect conditions, long high kicks dominated with hardly a single pass in the first 10 minutes. Test rugby, of course, is diffe-rent. England looked for some while that they might slip on the Italian banana peel. However they just managed to hang on to win, and it was nice to see centre Brad Barrett and lock Mouritz Botha distinguish themselves again in Paris.