The Lions - Kings game

Although many people are playng down this game as typical to the normal warm up games - where often enough secpnd-stringers in franchises are exposed to match conditions to really show how ell thye can play - this was a match that each side for different reasons was desperate to win.     The situation in fact was -

*   the Lions wants o ptoof their point that their withdrawal from the Super 15 series was not justified on the basis of merit and that they should have remained in that competition;

*   the Kings desperately wanted to prove that they deserve their srarus as a Supper 15 participlating franchise.

However, the result of the win by 41 - 31 by the Lions can jusr lead to further major complications in respect of a complicated issue.    The other issue is that the Kings really showed weakness in the CC play=off games and that they still cannot qualify for elevation to the Premier Division of the CC.

All the talk about the issue of Rugby Development in the Eastern Cape has also been dented by the insistence to bring in players (even from afroad)  to ret and get the Kings tam that they can at least show respectable performances in the Super 15.    

SUPER 15 PARTICIPATION

There always  was serious reservations whether the Kings issue was really dealt with by SARU corrrectly.   the question remained - how can a team or even combination of teams (and these include the Elephants, the Border Bulldogs and the SWD Eagles)  that have not been able to play in the Premnier Division of the CC be elvated on merit be allowed to represent SA in one of the top international competitions?  

I believe that the showing of the Kings in the relegation - promotions matches and the one today has shown tht the team  cannot provide decent opposition to any Super 15 franchises and that games against the Kings would only be used for maximising points on the log.   Despite tries by the Kings today - if this was part of the Super 15 competition - would have been given a dozen reasons why they have neem disappointing.

I believe that the Kings will not win a sible match in Super 15 and if they manage to gt evn 4 bonus points it would be indeed a miracle.

LIONS TEAM

The fact   that the Lions was elminated from the Super 15 series resulted in a substantal number of players departing for other Super 15 teams.   There showings over the last three weeks was such that I am of the opinion that they today is a stronger and better team than whay hey was a year ago,   They brought in some really excting youngsters and I amhandling he opinion that they did themselves a favour by getting rid of some of their senior players.    Indeed a case of :"GOOD RIDDANCE OF BAD RUBBISH:"

I am not going to go into details as to individual players - but wish to mention one example -namely Jantjies.   Cronje who played in all three matches over the past three weeks as a flyhalf - in those three performed better than Jantjies did in all the time he played for the Lions at flyhalf.    If I was the Manager of Lions rugby - I would prefer a contract with Cronje to one with Jantjies and would hope that the Stormers keep him with them.

KINGS TEAM

There is only one element of the game in which they can get a positive mark and that is ball-jhnding skills.   But then hey must get ossession of the ball so as to allow for the aid skill to be utlized properly.   Rgar is where the problem really comes in, namely -

*   their scrumming is weak and they were pushed back with ease at times during the match today oe worse still - they conceded penalties in the process.

*  their line-out performances are not as weak as the scrumming poblem - but is still not acceptable.

*  their ball retention in maul situations is unvcnvincing.

On the whole I saw nothingg that indicate that the Kings would be even mildly ineffective in Super 15 - the real situation i that all indicaors  are that they woyld be a disgrace.

@mikey,

i agree with some comments u made, but disagree completely with others,,,

"this was a match that each side for different reasons was desperate to win.     The situation in fact was -
*   the Lions wants o ptoof their point that their withdrawal from the Super 15 series was not justified on the basis of merit and that they should have remained in that competition;
*   the Kings desperately wanted to prove that they deserve their srarus as a Supper 15 participlating franchise."
i dont agree, this was the ultimate grudge match fo sorts, both teams really wnated to win this, except there are too many players in the kings that i dont know if they will be effective in anyway and more importantly, wether they are considered the kings incumbent players.
i therefore dont think the kings want to win this as much as use the preseason lions match as an expernce curb to help them with their number one priority, survivng the relgation.
the kings know they have very limited chances of avoiding relegation, one is by avoiding the SA conference woodenspoon, i know its very unlikely, but it is technically still possible, just think of the lions v sharks and rebels v crusaders last year and multiply that by 3, that would give the kings a better position then cheetahs ever have since reintergrations, a huge longshot, but better then nothing.
should the kings face relegation, then they will get plenty of games during the spXV to polish their teams rough spots and get ready for D day.


"All the talk about the issue of Rugby Development in the Eastern Cape has also been dented by the insistence to bring in players (even from afroad)  to ret and get the Kings tam that they can at least show respectable performances in the Super 15."
how can the kings focus on redelopment, when they only have one season to perform??? the real question is would the kings have even looked for as many players outside the region had their 2014 spXV participation not been under threat???
no one can answer that question with any certainty, but i do think its complete and utter bullshit that SARU gives a brand new team one season  to produce results, or their spXV future hangs in the balance of a relegation match.
they should have been given a minimum of three seasons before being forced with that relegation rubbish, especially given the amount of kak results that the lions the worst team in super rugby history has delivered.

" There showings over the last three weeks was such that I am of the opinion that they today is a stronger and better team than whay hey was a year ago,   They brought in some really excting youngsters and I amhandling he opinion that they did themselves a favour by getting rid of some of their senior players.    Indeed a case of :"GOOD RIDDANCE OF BAD RUBBISH:"I am not going to go into details as to individual players - but wish to mention one example -namely Jantjies.   Cronje who played in all three matches over the past three weeks as a flyhalf - in those three performed better than Jantjies did in all the time he played for the Lions at flyhalf.    If I was the Manager of Lions rugby - I would prefer a contract with Cronje to one with Jantjies and would hope that the Stormers keep him with them."
ive been keeping a close eye on the lions progress and the reality is the only team that i believe was playing to win was russia.
the other teams they faced like the cheetahs/bulls were undermanned and performing in accordance to what is considered the normal preseason performance. those matches meant nothing to them and had they feilded their best teams, IMO the lions would have been smashed by 40pts easy.

i have a lot of empathy for the kings right now, i ahve always liked the cheetahs and they have been my favourite SA side since forever, but i would love for the unthinkable to happen and for the cheetahs to get the wooden spoon, cos watching SARU suffering from thier foot in mouth disease is a crack up, lolz, and something tells me that the relegation match would be canned, :oP
 

 South African teams should start with bonus points for the handicap that we have called SARU who are totallly incompetent.

The tell a team they have one year to play in the a tournament last August.

By this time all the players in the country had renewed their contracts with existing unions. 

Plus who would want to sign for a team that is probably going to only have one year in the tournament and then get completely hammered for the 1st year and then get relegated. 

-The circus that is known as SARU is not a commercial business, instead it is just run by people getting salaries to make a mess of things

 The match showed how poor the queens are and how unworthy they are to have been promoted.

Lets face facts had the Lions continued they would together with the new talent coming through and their established players been a FAR better team.

Like Mike I cant see the queens winning a match. By the time they play the Lions again they will be decimated. 

Good riiddance to them and next time may they earn their place by meirt.

I am still hoping SARFU gets sued for fileding an under strength side. We can expect to be severely embarrassed by this vodacom cup side.

Sasue

I know you like the Kings and would like them to succeed.   To be quite frank as a South African I obviously would also like to see them performing well.   Unlike some of the others on the Board - I really have no prejudice against them - my problem is whether SARU has acted logically in this case.  

I really believe that what was done was basically illogical and not based on sound rugby principles.   I cannot see how a team can in one season prove that they belong - even with the foreign players they signed up and the players from other franchises moving to them.  

Based purely n rugby performances I think one of the thorns that for years was in evidence in the Lions team was their established players and the way in which they performed.   I think that they were let down by exactly those players and the present situation is in fact much healthier from their perspective - they brought in some really talented youngsters and it is already showing results.   I think the Lions this year will be a force to reckon with on Vodacom Cup and CC levels - the latter in the Premier Division - and I would not be surprised if they play in the semis and finals in both compeitions.  Just a forecast as I see the situation.   .