Former All Blacks flyhalf Carlos Spencer has been named head coach of Eastern Province Kings in South Africa's domestic Currie Cup and will be charged with readying the club for a re-entry into Super Rugby.
The South Africa-based Spencer, renowned for his flamboyant playing style in a 35-cap career with the All Blacks, crosses from the Durban-based Sharks, where he was an assistant to former coach John Plumtree.
The Port Elizabeth-based Kings played their debut season in Super Rugby last year but were relegated from the southern hemisphere competition after losing a playoff to the Johannesburg-based Lions.
The Kings, playing their maiden season in South Africa's top domestic league, are tipped to re-join Super Rugby in 2016 in an expanded competition as a sixth South African team, if not winning promotion for next season.
“There are obviously challenges ahead, in terms of the head coach role, but I'm excited about it and looking forward to it and I feel I have the right people here to help me as well,” Spencer, 38, said in comments published by New Zealand media on Friday.
“It's going to take a lot of work and I'm not expecting too much out of this first Currie Cup, I just want to see the team being competitive. If anything happens above that, it's a bonus.” – Reuters