It would appear that my days of watching live Super Rugby are over š¦
Let me explain.
There are 6 major playing regions here in South Africa but only 5 places available in the Super Rugby competition (in it’s current format.) I’ve explained previously that for as long as there has been Super Rugby my little part of the world has been completely ignored, that was until this year.
Be it politics, compassion or just plain old common sense our rugby hierarchy decided to to give us a chance and entered Eastern Province (under The Southern Kings franchise) in this years competition, at the expense of last year’s lowest ranked S.A. team ( The Lions) with the proviso that the KingsĀ play the Lions in a home and away relegation / promotion series of matches come the end of the season.
Well, the first of these relegation / promotion matches was played last night, right here at our magnificent new FIFA world cup stadium, and yes, you’ve guessed it, the Kings lost.
Had the Kings won, we had plans for the 2,000km round trip up to Johannesburg to watch the 2nd leg, but we agreed at the end of last night’s game not waste our time, effort and money!
For the record last night’s score was 19 – 26.
We seemed to be on the wrong end of some poor referring decisions, this from one of our leading news publishers …
it also looked as though refereeing mistakes contributed to the Lionsā second try that effectively wrapped up the match in the second half.
… but cowboys don’t cry and to be honest we should be able to overcome these errors but we’re simply not good enough.
I’m told that there were 35,000 of us at last nights game, which once again proves that the public want top flight rugby in these parts, it’s just that the team and management need a tad longer to get their act together, sadly I don’t see that period of grace being extended to us.
So it’s back to the rugby wilderness for this part of the world, hopefully the bureaucrats will have recognised the appetite forĀ Super Rugby,Ā the successes and achievements created in such a short space of time, although I’m not holding my breath!
Boadicea's Chariot 
Hi Soutie
Sky TV showed the game at 2.30 am today so I recorded and watched it this morning.
Hard luck. The way the Kings came at the Lions right from the start and put three points on the board in no time was really impressive. A few unforced errors let the Lions back into the game but I still thought that the Kings were the better team and looked likely to win until that interception try on the stroke of half time. That was a cruel blow just as you were pressing hard and had a chance to score and open up a good lead.
Their second try clearly came from a forward pass and the commentators were amazed that the Kings did not ask for a review. When they went down to 14 men it looked like you might get more than just the unconverted try but they did defend well.
It’s going to be a hard mountain for the Kings to climb to beat the Lions at home and at altitude. I hope that Catrakilis will be fit. He is a classy player.
Good luck for the second leg and at least you’ve got that bonus point
I hope some supporters will make the trip to Johannesburg otherwise your team will feel even worse.
I know this is Rugby League and different, Soutie, but look at the first two scores. Your team had a much more respectable score line.
Sorry – http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/challenge-cup/results
Rugby league? Ah yes, the halcyon days of ‘Unslet and ‘Alifax.
Morning JM
Yes, I don’t recall the Lions threatening our 22 never mind our try line during the 1st half, until, of course that intercept try. Of course all is not lost, a win up there by 8 points is all that’s needed but as you say it’s a very big mountain to climb.
As Dimitri entered that ruck in the 2nd half I shouted “get him out of there!” That’s no place for your ace flyhalf to be and unfortunately I was proved right, in big matches you have to protect what few advantage you have.
Once again the Kings ran out of gas (and ideas) during the 2nd half, perhaps the absence of regular team captains(s) Luke Watson and Andries Strauss through injury had an effect but it shouldn’t.
At least I’ll be watching a competitive rugby match next Saturday afternoon (kick off 17:05) unlike Sharks, Stormers, Cheetahs and Bulls supporters who can all have the afternoon off and perhaps mow the lawn š
Hi sheona, there will be pockets of Kings fans up there at Ellis Park, there is a supporters club here who have organised a tour but 14 hours or so (each way) in a coach isn’t my cuppa tea, we were going to drive up and stay with family but as I say have decided to give it a miss.
We’ve also had some big defeats this season (not that big though) this narrow defeat will be as JM infers a lot larger that it looks once we take the field on Saturday š¦
I heard yesterday that Katrikilas is out of the return leg š¦
This from this morning’s local daily read …
Such devotion! š
It was announced yesterday that Alan Solomons, the director of rugby at The Kings is off to coach Edinburgh after 4 years here with us. Here’s hoping that he leaves on a winning note š
Big day today, return leg up at Ellis Park, kick off 17:05, do I think we have a chance, of course yes, is it a big chance unfortunately no š¦
What a game! What a day….
no more from me ’cause I know some here will at some time watch it “live”
(I’ll wait for the all clear ;))
Hi Soutie.
Tell the tale as far as I am concerned, What a game indeed!
I watched it live on my PC on Sky Sports Extra. I really enjoyed the first 30 minutes and the last fifteen minutes were truly thrilling. A great advertisement for South African rugby in the main apart from the referee who did not seem to me to be consistent in his decisions, particularly in relation to the maul.
Good morning John
Heartbreaking wasn’t it?
For the record the Kings WON, unfortunately by just 5 points, not enough to overturn the 7 point deficit from the 1st leg, which of course means back to the wastelands of 2nd tier rugby down here until the competition format is changed, possibly 2016.
It was good while it lasted, possibly the best 6 months of rugby that I’ve ever experienced.
‘Till the next time then š