Kings clash with Jaguares on maiden Argentine visit
Southern Kings coach Deon Davids has arrived in Buenos Aires for the his team’s maiden visit to that country to play the Jaguares in a Vodacom Super Rugby clash at the Velez Sarsfield stadium on Saturday at 11.40pm (SA time).
Flyhalf Elgar Watts is among a group of players that has been added to the Kings squad. Watts has been sidelined since suffering an injury against the Sunwolves in Port Elizabeth a couple of weeks back. He has now recovered from his injury problems.
Front-row forwards Edgar Marutlulle and Sti Sithole, both of whom join Watts in the 25-man group to fly to Argentina, also return following their injury spells.
Also back in the selection mix is Stefan Willemse, who has played at both flank and lock, and who did not play against the Emirates Lions. Meanwhile, versatile back Jaco van Tonder has replaced the injured Malcolm Jaer, who is out for six weeks with a broken hand.
With Jaer injured and Jurgen Visser not selected for the one-match tour, it looks like Van Tonder will get his get his first start at fullback.
The Jaguares’ solitary Vodacom Super Rugby win so far came against a South African side in Round 1 (Toyota Cheetahs). In their other two games against South African teams they have kept them to fewer than 20 points (L2).
But the Kings have conceded an average of 47.3 points per game in their last six matches against teams from outside of South Africa.
Kings 25-man tour squad: Schalk Ferreira, Jacobus Adriaanse, Sti Sithole, Tom Botha, Justin Ackerman, Edgar Marutlulle, Martin Bezuidenhout, Martin Ferreira, Steven Sykes, JC Astle, Elgar Watts, Chris Cloete, CJ Velleman, Thembelani Bholi, Louis Fouche, Ntando Kebe, Leighton Eksteen, Stefan Willemse, Shane Gates, Stefan Watermeyer, Aidon Davis, Luzuko Vulindlu, Jaco van Tonder, James Hall, Lukhanyo Am.