PORT ELIZABETH – The Isuzu Southern Kings kick off their season in the GuinnessPro14 Championship with a match against Italian side Zebre at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma on Friday evening.
The South Africans will be eager to get their campaign off to a good start and banish the memories of a difficult debut 2017/2018 season. Coach Deon Davids this week applauded the "focus and intensity" of his charges in the build-up to this fixture.
"We’ve had some really good sessions despite the very warm and humid conditions being experienced in this part of the world at the moment. We are preparing for a very physical and high-tempo challenge from Zebre. They have lots of experience and play in front of a very passionate crowd but if we focus on ourselves then I believe we have what it takes to win," he said.
Davids also congratulated all the players who would be making their debuts for the Isuzu Southern Kings in this match and said he hoped they would "embrace" the occasion.
"Every single one of them has earned their place in the team and they help us in broadening our base of experience within the squad," he added.
Michael Willemse will lead the Southern Kings during the Guinness PRO14. Photo: Deryck Foster/BackpagePix
The Southern Kings team is:
15 Michael Botha, 14 Michael Makase, 13 Harlon Klaasen, 12 Berton Klaasen, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Masixole Banda, 9 Rudi van Rooyen, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Tienie Burger, 6 Henry Brown, 5 Bobby de Wee, 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Luvuyo Pupuma, 2 Michael Willemse (captain), 1 Justin Forwood
Substitutes:
16 Alandre van Rooyen, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Luphumlo Mguca, 19 JC Astle, 20 Andisa Ntsila, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Martin du Toit, 23 Ulrich Beyers