EP Rugby president Cheeky Watson has moved to quell growing concerns that the EP Kings will not be able to withstand the rigors of Currie Cup Premier Division rugby later this year - or Super Rugby next season.
Watson says the signing of several new players and a new director of rugby/head coach is imminent, which will dramatically change the fortunes of EP Rugby overnight.
Watson was reacting on Tuesday after the Kings bowed out of the playoff race in the Vodacom Cup with their 4th loss in 5 matches at the weekend to the SWD Eagles in Port Elizabeth. Pride is now at stake in the remaining two matches in the competition against Boland and the Sharks XV.
Meanwhile: injuries and the need for rotation has seen EP Kings coach Mzwandile Stick name Edgar Marutlulle as captain of the team to take on Boland in their penultimate Vodacom Cup rugby match in Citrusdal on Saturday (kick-off 4pm).
The Kings hooker takes over from centre Tim Whitehead, one of many backline players on the injured list which has seen Stick forced to make radical changes behind the scrum during the course of the season.
All three flyhalves - Gary van Aswegen, Tony Jantjies and George Whitehead - are currently injured, joining Whitehead and Scott van Breda on the sidelines after Saturday's loss to the Eagles.
Up front, Stick has included Cornell Hess (lock) and Eital Bredenkamp (flank), while giving young loose forward Aidon Davis a starting berth at No 8.
Experienced Springboks Luke Watson and CJ van der Linde will again come off the bench, with Stick saying they were following a plan of managing the players' return to regular play after lengthy injury layoffs.
"We want to manage Luke's return properly and will probably try to give him about 40 minutes this Saturday," Stick said, "while CJ will have about 25 minutes. We want to manage them well and not put them under pressure by playing too much, too soon."
After four losses and just one win, the Kings are virtually out of the running for the Cup playoffs, but Stick said they were still fully focused on finishing off the season on a high note.
"We want to finish off on a good note," Stick said. "That would be very nice, but we know we must just take it one step at a time.
"Naturally we have been disappointed with our results, but we are determined to do our best and to win this game against Boland. We are playing for our pride and the EP Kings jersey.
"The side is motivated and they have responded well in training this week, so is good to see the energy. There are always challenges and it is how you bounce back from them that is important."
The EP Kings team is: Lizo Gqoboka, Edgar Marutlulle (captain), Simon Kerrod, Stefan Willemse, Cornell Hess, Eital Bredenkamp, Thembelani Bholi, Aidon Davis, Jaco Grobler, Hansie Graaff, Luther Obi, Ronnie Cooke, Siyanda Grey, Sphu Msutwana, Siviwe Soyizwapi
Replacements: Mike van Vuuren, CJ van der Linde, David Bulbring, Luke Watson, Dylon Frylinck, Marlou van Niekerk, Andile Jho
ends
