Kings players face mass axing as coach runs out of patience
Isuzu Southern Kings coach Robbi Kempson is preparing to shake up his selection for Sunday’s PRO14 Rugby clash with Irish province Connacht in Port Elizabeth as he runs out of patience with players he feels keep making the same mistakes.
“You can’t keep on doing the same thing and expecting different results, so I will be mixing up the team substantially for the Connacht game,” says Kempson.
“I have no doubt that it is now time to be giving other players an opportunity to see what they can do. These guys, the guys who have played so far, have had theirs. What is that old saying about insanity? The first sign of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”
The Kings appeared to be on an upward trajectory with their performances when they broke their overseas duck by beating the Ospreys in Swansea in November, but after a good performance against the Toyota Cheetahs in their home derby, a game they were unlucky to lose, they have been well beaten in three successive matches.
There was a slight improvement against Scarlets in Wales last weekend, but the same mistakes cropped up later in the game and what had been shaping up as a good contest ended up being an easy win for the hosts. Before that they lost the away derby against the Cheetahs heavily and were thrashed by Munster.
Kempson said the last two games, both played overseas, had made the penny drop with regards to the direction the coaches should be taking the team.
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“The guys have all been given enough opportunity to stake a claim for starting berths. In the Munster game definitely and in the back end of the Scarlets game they gave us an idea of where we need to go forward with our game,” said the former Springbok prop.
“There have been increments of positives, particularly in the Scarlets game, but there were also too many obvious negatives. Against the Scarlets we were in the game until the 62nd minute, but then we made mistakes that turned the tide against us. The back end of the game is the most important part to fix.
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“There is an element of conditioning but we always seem to be in the game until we need to make changes in certain positions. That is when it becomes slightly difficult. We have spoken about it. Against the Cheetahs we tried to play experienced guys off the bench but that didn’t work either. So other players will get opportunities and hopefully they take them.”
For once the Kings don’t appear to have a slew of injuries to deal with ahead of the Connacht game. No8 Elrigh Louw, who is unlikely to be one of the players Kempson is unhappy with as he has shown a lot of promise, sustained what the coach described as a vicious cut to the eye last time out but he is expected to be available.
Courtney Winnaar, who played fullback against the Scarlets and kicked a long-range first-half penalty, has been ruled out with a bad ankle sprain. He is due to undergo a scan. The Kings have a ready-made replacement for him in Masixole Banda, who is back in the selection mix after missing out the last few games due to personal reasons.
PRO14
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments