Sunday Read: Southern Kings - Where Are They Now?
Five years on from their greatest day in the Pro14, what became of the players from South Africa's doomed franchise?
Four and a half years ago, the doomed Southern Kings franchise from Port Elizabeth recorded their most famous victory: a 16-14 triumph over Welsh side Opsreys away in Swansea. It was to be their only ever away victory in the then Pro14.
The Kings’ story seemed destined to end in tragedy from the start. Despite being formed in 2009 to coincide with the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, they only ever participated in three seasons of Super Rugby - beneficiaries of the competition’s over expansion and victims of its rapid contraction - before having to head up north along with the Cheetahs to play in the Pro14 (the predecessor of the URC).
In their two and a half seasons playing Northern Hemisphere rugby, the Kings won just four games and drew one, seen as a guaranteed bonus point victory at home for even the lowest ranked opposition.
“You have to understand how that team was formed” says Vuyo Zangqa, former Blitzbok and backs coach of the Kings. “Then you understand why it was we were fighting losing battles."
Most South African franchises have development teams that play in the Currie Cup and have links with other lower down franchises to aid player pathways. “The Southern Kings didn’t have a development team. So, we had to go to the Sharks, we had to go to the Bulls and get their players that they didn’t need. So if they have a flyhalf that is the fifth best in their system, he will be given to us on loan.”
“We got a lot of players that were fourth to fifth string within their provinces and then we had to try and make those players come together.”
Students of Ben Darwin and Gain-Line Analytics will know how having a squad that is so lacking in cohesion will put you on the back foot before you begin, but as Vuyo goes on to tell us, this is just the start of the issues.
“If the Bulls give us their fifth choice prop, and he starts performing for Southern Kings, the Bulls say they want him back! Because of that, because the players knew the Southern Kings is not sustainable, they play for themselves most of the time and it’s very hard to create a team culture because everyone is looking after their own interests.”
The former coach isn’t bitter about this though, saying “We can’t blame the players for that, it was the environment they were in.”
From the moment the Southern Kings arrived on the scene, the optics weren’t good. They were a classic case of crowd size / stadium size mismatch. The majority of their home games were played in the cavernous Nelson Mandela Stadium, which even even the best attended rugby clubs in the world would struggle to get half full on a weekly basis. As it was, despite being located in one of the most rugby mad heartlands in South Africa (Rassie himself comes from nearby), the Kings never truly connected with the locals.
Vuyo is honest as he shares his reflections of that time. “Because we weren’t winning many games, we sort of lost touch with the people. We lost touch with the love of rugby in our city,” he says.
The Kings were beset by financial issues from day one. Even during the Super Rugby days, they were once late paying staff three months in a row.
“Whenever someone tried to buy the Southern Kings or revamp them, they still have a debt to settle” says Vuyo. “It’s difficult to go in there unless you have an enormous amount of money.”
Ultimately, the COVID pandemic in 2020 proved too devastating for them to survive. Lockdown meant no rugby could be played in South Africa and they could not take part in the Pro14, meaning they had literally zero source of income.
It ended in almost laughable fashion, with the franchise briefly being owned by a group genuinely named, ‘Greatest Rugby Company in the Whole Wide World (GRC)’. Shockingly, despite the reassuring name, GRC failed to provide the Kings with financial stability. They were taken over by SA Rugby directly in June of 2020. The Kings entered voluntary liquidation in September of the same year.
A statement on SA Rugby’s website read:
‘Mr Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby, said that extending additional credit to an insolvent entity at a time when the rugby industry is required to make a saving of R1.2bn to stay afloat this year was not an option.
“The history of the Kings has been one of expectation and anticipation but unfortunately the parallel story of commercial failure couldn't be wished away any longer,” said Mr Alexander.’
The Famous Day
The Kings did manage one reasonably successful season in Super Rugby, finishing above the Bulls in 2017, but their highpoint in the Pro14 was a shock away win against former Welsh champions the Ospreys.
The Ospreys’ time under Australian coach Allan Clarke is a story in itself; a squad loaded with British & Irish Lions that managed just two wins in an entire season, thanks to dreadful mismanagement. The memory of this particular rain soaked game in Swansea is the one that will make fans shiver even to this day.
“It was the lowest I have ever felt as an Ospreys fan".” Says James Rees, host of the Ospreys Eyrie podcast, “One of the worst Ospreys teams ever. It was awful.”
The Ospreys 23 that day contained three Six Nations winners and one World Cup winner in the form of Marvin Orie. But it wasn’t a vintage squad by any means, hampered further by injuries and internationals being rested.
Commentated on by the iconic Eddie Butler, the Kings actually led 0-13 at half time. They scored a brilliant backs try straight from a kick off when they chipped over the Ospreys chasers and simple hands let them run in from 50 metres.
We asked Vuyo if this pre-planned move was his idea: “Yeah it was! I picked up that they hang very very deep so it was a plan to bring them closer upfield or drop a number on defence!”
A monster penalty from his own half by fullback van Breda extended the deficit on the stroke of half time and the lead grew to 0-16 soon after the resumption, before the rain began truly hammering down. The conditions meant the Ospreys were always going to struggle to catch up.
They did manage two scores but, in the end, legendary Wales fly-half James Hook missed a long range attempt of his own in overtime to confirm the result. The crowd was silent as referee Andrea Piardi blew the full time whistle, the only sound being the visitors celebrating wildly. What’s worse, Wales national coach Wayne Pivac was sat amongst them.
From the Kings’ side though, the mention of the victory still brings a smile to Vuyo’s face. “Yeah, we knew going into that game that we were going to be in trouble. But you know when things start to fall in your favour? Everything just started working for us. We actually got so much happiness after that game, it was massive for us. Even the coaches were crying in the locker room afterwards!”
Where Are They Now?
So let’s take a look at the 23 on that famous day and see where they are now, nearly five years later…
Scott van Breda - Here is a man who must have thought he was cursed! Only played three games for the Kings whilst on loan from Worcester Warriors, who themselves went bust in 2022. He then joined Jersey Reds… who also went bust in 2023! Kicked eight points from the tee in this game.
Chris Hollis - Dragons fans will know this name; he made his debut for them this weekend against the Stormers! The imposing winger had spent a few seasons on the books in Cape Town without getting an opportunity to play. The East Walians will hope he can bring some much needed oomph to their attack.
Erich Cronje - The only try scorer for the Kings in this game. Name checked by Vuyo when we spoke to him, Cronje currently plays for the Lions in the URC and has started the last six games at outside centre for the Johannesburg side.
Howard Mnisi - Currently playing rugby in Israel for Tel-Aviv Heat, who finished runners-up to Black Lion in the Rugby Europe Super Cup.
Josiah Twun-Boafa - According to It’s Rugby he plays for Adge in the French lower leagues.
JT Jackson - This game was one of just four occasions JT started at fly-half in his whole career. He is normally a centre and currently plays for Rouen who are on the brink of relegation from the ProD2.
Josh Allderman - Last record is of him playing for Eastern Province Elephants in the Currie Cup in 2021.
Juan Shoeman - The 32 year old has gone on to play for Bath in England and has made 21 appearances for them this season (mostly off the bench) in their quest for the Premiership title.
Jaques Du Toit - Until last season he was getting regular game time for Italian URC side Zebre Parma, but there is no record of him playing this season. Not to be confused with the cricketer of the same name!
Pieter Scholtz - Had a stint with Ospreys’ rivals the Scarlets after leaving the Kings before moving to French Top 14 side Bayonne where he still plays.
Jerry Sexton - As his name suggests, not South African! The Irish second row and younger brother to legend Johnny finished his playing days at Doncaster in the English Championship and now works in the Police Force.
Bobby De Wee - Plays for the big spending Ealing Trailfinders who just reclaimed the English Championship title.
Tienie Burger - Is still playing with Kings teammate JT at Rouen in the ProD2.
Thembelani Bholi - Another ProD2 man, this time playing for Valence Romans who he joined from the Sharks last year.
Elrigh Louw - Now plays for the Bulls and is having an incredible season, never far from being top carrier and top tackler for a side filled with absolute monsters. “He’s a massive guy,” Vuyo says. “Even in training he doesn’t stop, he gives it 100%, a very good kid to work with.”
Alandre van Rooyen - Went to Griguas in the Currie Cup after the Kings went under before signing for London Irish in 2022. Now works at a High School back in the Eastern Cape.
Xandre Vos - Shares a name with a lesser know Jedi from Star Wars! Some websites have him down as having played for MLR champions the New England Freejacks and it certainly seems he signed for them, however none of our Freejacks friends could recall seeing him take the field. Other sites have him down as playing somewhere in the French lower leagues.
Lupumlo Mguca - Plays for Dijon in the French lower leagues.
Aston Fortuin - Another who had a stint in MLR before moving to Mont-de-Marsan in the ProD2.
Ruan Lerm - No record post-Kings (the only one we couldn’t find).
Sarel Pretorius - No current club listed but the assumption is the the 40 year old former Dragons scrum half has retired.
Siya Masuku - Has been making big headlines recently for his match-winning exploits at the Sharks, with some calling for him to get a Springbok cap this summer. Vuyo recalls, “The thing with Siya: you can see the talent, but he is so reserved that you don’t get to see that. But the more you can work with him, the more you can understand him. It’s a lot about his personality (…) It’s gonna be tough (…) South Africa doesn’t have a number three 10. If he can hang onto that jersey it will be great for him!”
S’Bura Sithole - Plays for HKU Sandy Bay in Hong Kong following a stint in France. Hong Kong could be in line for a spot at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, listen to the latest Friday Breakfast show to learn more!
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