The current Guinness PRO14 season has been suspended in response to the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, the organisers announced on Thursday.

“The PRO14 is an international league. Cross border travel is inevitable and that brings with it unique challenges. With governments in Italy and Ireland already putting in place clear directives and restrictions around public activities and travel, the decision to suspend the competition is appropriate,” said a statement following a board meeting of Celtic Rugby DAC. 
“It is in the best interests of everyone that games are not played at this time. The suspension has been directed by the board of Celtic Rugby DAC and will be remain under constant review.”

David Jordan, Tournament Director PRO14 Rugby, said: “We have made this decision with everyone’s welfare foremost in our minds. With an evolving situation in the five countries that take part in Guinness PRO14 it is important to make a clear decision that is in keeping with the advice of the various governments involved.”
Resumption of the 2019/20 season would remain a matter of constant review.

“This will remain the case for the duration of the suspension,” said the statement. “This is an unprecedented action for the tournament and as such no end date to the suspension can be provided at this time.”
South Africa has two competitors in the tournament – the Toyota Cheetahs and Southern Kings – who will cease competitive action until the suspension is lifted.
​
Issued by SA Rugby Communications

While the Isuzu Southern Kings will be playing for pride in their eight remaining Guinness PRO14 pool matches, the heat will be on for the Toyota Cheetahs, whose playoff fate will be decided by a series of home matches as the round-robin stages reaches the business end of the competition.
​
A series of wasted opportunities and costly errors again left the teams on the wrong side of the scoreboard this past weekend, with the Toyota Cheetahs going down 13-10 against the Dragons in Newport (click here for the match report), while the Isuzu Southern Kings suffered a 29-19 defeat against Connacht in Port Elizabeth (the match report is available here).

The defeat for the Free Staters saw them remain in fourth place in the Conference A log – two points behind the Glasgow Warriors, who are expected to be their main contenders for a playoff spot.
Fortunately for the Toyota Cheetahs, seven of their remaining eight matches will be played in South Africa, with six of them being at home in Bloemfontein.

Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie was disappointed that his team allowed a 10-0 lead to slip against the Dragons, and said they needed to be further ahead to challenge for the victory.

“We didn’t get enough points on the board in the first half when the wind behind us was unbelievably strong,” said Fourie.
“Being 10 points ahead wasn’t good enough, and we needed to take our chances. Unfortunately some passes were dropped and penalties given away, and it cost us.
“It was a big disappointment, but it is what it is and we are now just going to have to make the most of having six games at home.”

Isuzu Southern Kings coach Robbie Kempson expressed his frustration with their inability to capitalise on the numerical advantage they had after Connacht replacement winger Peter Robb received a red card in the 15th minute for making contact with Howard Mnisi’s neck while carrying the ball up-field.

The home side managed to fight back from 14-0 down to level the scores at 14-14 when the visitors were down to 13 men after their first yellow card, but this was not enough as Connacht charged on to win 29-19.
“We had a plan, and we have the best attack coach in world rugby in my opinion assisting us in Swys de Bruin, but then we butcher four scoring opportunities in the first half and you can’t do that and expect to win,” said Kempson.
“Yes, they had a red card and all of that, but if you butcher four opportunities, that is potentially 28 points.”
Kempson added: “The main message sent out once Connacht had lost a player to a red card was to keep the ball at all costs.

“Rather than loosening the game up we wanted to tighten it to strictly step into line with the game plan we had in place for this particular game, and we didn’t do that.”
The Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings will enjoy some time off before returning to action in an exciting spell of three home matches from Saturday, 21 March.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

The pressure will fall squarely on the Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings in their Guinness PRO14 clashes this weekend as the Free States eye a possible return to the top three in Conference A, while the men from Port Elizabeth will have a deep desire to please their home fans after a challenging run this season.
 
The Toyota Cheetahs meet the Dragons in Newport on Saturday in what marks their last game on their three-week UK tour and their penultimate match abroad this season, while the Isuzu Southern Kings are back in Port Elizabeth where they will line up against Connacht on Sunday in a game they will target to turn the corner after a series of disappointing results.
 
In Wales, Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie’s charges will be determined to end a three-match losing run and return home high on confidence before a string of home matches, which includes six matches in Bloemfontein and another away to the Isuzu Southern Kings.
 
They will, however, be tested thoroughly because apart from facing a committed Dragons outfit on their home patch, they will face a big obstacle in the form of Storm Jorge, which is expected to hit the UK on Saturday bringing gusts of wind between 150km and 200km an hour and heavy rain.
 
According to Fourie the ground at Newport is already wet and muddy, and he is anticipating the worst weather conditions yet this season.
 
“These will definitely be the toughest conditions we have encountered so far,” said Fourie, whose team struggled in a heavy downpour against Leinster two weeks ago.
 
“In addition to rain, huge wind is expected, and the field is already wet. So the game is likely to be played in a mud bath. That is a leveller in any rugby match.
 
“The Dragons have a bit of experience of the conditions as they played the Warriors last week in Glasgow in very bad conditions. They scored three tries and didn’t lose that game by much. But we are determined to end the tour on a high note.”
 
A victory for the Free Staters could see them force their way back into the top three in their conference should the Warriors – who are currently three points ahead of them on the standings – suffer a defeat against the unbeaten Leinster.
 
And on Sunday afternoon in Port Elizabeth, the Isuzu Southern Kings will look forward to being back in familiar conditions when they host Connacht, although Robbie Kempson (coach) expected the opposition to adapt well to the warmer weather.
 
“If it was 35 degrees here then it would favour us, but the weather is much milder at the coast,” said Kempson.
 
“It is tougher travelling there. But we play in a northern hemisphere competition, so we just have to learn to adapt to the conditions.”
 
Kempson believes his team’s best performance this season was in their away game to Connacht, and as a result he anticipated a good contest against what he considers a formidable team that will be hurting from last week’s unexpectedly big loss to Edinburgh.
 
“It was our best performance, but they still managed to get one over us,” said Kempson.
 
“Andy Friend is an excellent coach, and they have an abrasive pack and players out wide that are very dangerous. They played well in Europe this year and we are expecting that kind of performance from them.”
 
Guinness PRO14 fixtures:
 
Dragons v Toyota Cheetahs
Date: Saturday, 29 February
SA time: 19h15
Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport
Referee: Andrew Brace
Assistant Referees: Adam Jones and Stuart Gaffikin
TMO: Brian MacNeice
TV: SS5
 
Isuzu Southern Kings v Connacht
Date: Sunday, 1 March
SA time: 15h00
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant Referees: Ruhan Meiring and Ben Crouse
TMO: Christie du Preez
TV: SS1
 
Issued by SA Rugby Communication

The Isuzu Southern Kings and Toyota Cheetahs experienced mixed emotions in the Guinness PRO14 this weekend after both sides were in contention for victories but ended up on the losing side due to costly errors.
 
The Toyota Cheetahs’ failure to convert a number of opportunities into points against Ulster paved the way for a 20-10 defeat in Belfast on Saturday night, while the Isuzu Southern Kings were two points behind the Scarlets on the hour mark in Llanelli before a late slump saw them go down 36-17.
 
Click here for the report of the match between Ulster and the Toyota Cheetahs, and here for a wrap of the encounter between the Scarlets and Isuzu Southern Kings.
 
Both coaches lamented the defeats, but took comfort from the fact that there were positives they could take from their performances.
 
Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie said his side were their own worst enemies in the match which cost them their place in the top three on the Conference A log. They are now in fourth place behind the Glasgow Warriors.
 
“I have mixed feelings about the game,” said Fourie.
 
“There were times that we played some brilliant rugby and then there were times where we were our own worst enemies.
 
“In the first half we were in their 22m area for a long time, and we got three penalties there, and then we lost two lineouts in a row on their tryline so we couldn’t turn that pressure into points.”
 
He added: “The first try that Ulster scored just before halftime was a soft moment. They played through 10 phases and got momentum from every one of those.
 
“We didn’t drive them back or come quickly off the line, and in the end they scored rather easily, which was in contrast to the rest of the game where we defended well and drove them back in tackles.”
 
One of the positives Fourie drew from his side’s display was the way they adapted to the northern hemisphere conditions.
 
“In general, I am satisfied with the way we varied our play at times and how we put pressure on them with our kicking game,” said Fourie.
 
“Clayton Blommetjies had an outstanding game at fullback and took eight high balls under pressure. “The backs attacked well and saw space and attacked in the right areas, and with a bit of luck we could have won this game.
 
“It is a bitter pill to swallow to lose like that after we played well. I still I feel we are playing better in the weather conditions and we are slowly getting the right combination and balance of when to attack and when to kick.
 
“The players are becoming a lot more comfortable with the wet ball and aren’t scared to try things so there are a lot of positives, but I would have liked to have won the game.”
 
Isuzu Southern Kings coach Robbie Kempson was frustrated by their defeat against the Scarlets, but similarly to Fourie, he said there were aspects they could build on going forward.
 
“There were some positives that we could take out of it,” said Kempson.
 
“If we had stuck to our game plan the outcome would have been very different, but we didn’t. We allowed the Scarlets to get too much ball and play too much in the second half.
 
“With the coaches they have, their counter-attack will always be excellent. We put ourselves in our own predicament and it cost us in the end.”
 
Kempson emphasised the cost of their mistakes, saying: “We tried to bring on fresh legs, and then the mistakes snowballed which unfortunately gave the Scarlets the opportunity to score tries.
 
“We were in the game with 20 minutes to go and we threw it away because of silly errors. It is something we have to look at going forward in terms of the composition of our squad.”
 
Issued by SA Rugby Communication

The Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings will have their sights set on bouncing back strongly from disappointing defeats last week when they line up against Ulster and the Scarlets in their second tour matches in the Guinness PRO14 this weekend.
The Toyota Cheetahs, in particular, will be under pressure to register a win to remain in the top three in Conference A with an eye on a possible playoff spot later in the season, as the chasing Glasgow Warriors trail by only two points.
The Toyota Cheetahs meet Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on Saturday night, while the Isuzu Southern Kings take on the Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli on Sunday.
 
The Toyota Cheetahs’ track record against Ulster will certainly give the side confidence going into the clash, with one win, a draw and a defeat in their last three outings in the competition.
 
The match in Ireland will have extra significance for veteran Toyota Cheetahs and Springbok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, who played for Ulster from 2010 to 2017.
 
“Having spent seven years at Ulster it will be a strange feeling running out at the Kingspan Stadium wearing a different jersey, but I am looking forward to it,” said Pienaar.
“It’s been a while since I played there, and I know how brilliant their supporters are. It is obviously a very important game for us and we are desperate to get the result. We will have to perform a lot better than in our last game, but training has gone well this week.”
​
Pienaar did not hide his disappointment about their 36-12 defeat against Leinster last week, but he said it was important to focus on what worked in that match going into Saturday’s match-up.
“We had a really tough outing against Leinster in bad conditions,” he said.
“But you have to take the positives from it, and in the second half we were much better. I may be wrong but we only conceded one try and scored two, our discipline was a lot better, we kept the ball a lot better and put them under pressure more.

“So yes, it was a tough game if you look at the scoreboard, but the way we ended was encouraging and we’ll try take that into this game.”
The Isuzu Southern Kings will also have something to prove this week after going down 68-3 against Munster in their last match, and although they have never won against the Scarlets, the fact that two of their four defeats were by seven points or less will serve as some encouragement for Robbie Kempson’s young team.
Defence will be a key aspect for the Port Elizabeth side this weekend to keep alive hopes of creating an upset as they have conceded the most points and tries in the competition up to now.

Guinness PRO14 fixtures:

Ulster v Toyota Cheetahs
Date: Saturday, 22 February
SA time: 21h35
Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
Referee: Mike Adamson
Assistant Referees: George Clancy and Sam Grove-White
TMO: Andrew McMenemy
TV: SS1
 
Scarlets v Isuzu Southern Kings
Date: Sunday, 23 February
SA time: 19h15
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Referee: Andrew Brace
Assistant Referees: Gareth John and Paul Haycock
TMO: Brian MacNeice
TV: SS1
 
Issued by SA Rugby Communication

Hard work lies ahead for the Isuzu Southern Kings and Toyota Cheetahs in the Guinness Pro14 after the teams were reintroduced the realities of touring the northern hemisphere in winter this past weekend, with both sides suffering disappointing defeats.
The Toyota Cheetahs went down 36-12 against defending champions, Leinster, at a drenched RDS Arena in Dublin on Saturday, while the Isuzu Southern Kings suffered a 68-3 defeat against Munster at Irish Independent Park in Cork on Friday.
​
Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie took some encouragement from the way his charges finished their encounter against Leinster, scoring twice and denying the hosts from adding to their score, but he admitted that their performance earlier in the match was not good enough.
“We came back well in the last 30 minutes and performed really well in that period, and we controlled a certain aspect of our game (the scrums) and put a lot of pressure on them. But the first half just wasn’t good enough in the conditions,” said Fourie.

“We didn’t start well.
“In the first half we were playing with the wind but we couldn’t use it because we had very little ball, and Leinster played most of the game in our 22.
“We resisted the pressure initially but in the last 20 minutes of the first half they scored 22 points and that killed us.”
Fourie added: “Ball possession was a massive problem, as we struggled to keep the ball in the wet weather, and Leinster played really well in the conditions.

“They are probably the best team in Europe at the moment, and it showed.
“We have a lot of work to do before our next game against Ulster if we are going to come right in these conditions.”
The Isuzu Southern Kings also have their work cut out, with coach Robbie Kempson openly expressing his frustration after their match against Munster.
“We started building a few phases at one stage, but we’d cough up the ball at crucial moments and get turned over and Munster would punish us,” said Kempson.

“Unfortunately it happens week in and week out. Maybe in certain areas we either have to adapt our personnel or the way we want to play the game. We want to be more expansive but at this juncture we are not getting that right.”
Kempson again spoke of discipline costing his team, saying: “It was very frustrating to see the discipline again being a problem, as we were a yellow card down within the first 10 minutes.
“It is small things we are not doing well. We are not managing the things we can control, and when you cough up the ball to a very strong team like Munster it is fatal.
“But credit to Munster. They have one of the best attacking flyhalves, they were outstanding with their pace on the ball and very strong with ball in hand.”

Click here for the full match report from the Toyota Cheetahs clash against Leinster and here for the wrap of the Isuzu Southern Kings match-up against Munster.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications
​

Isuzu Southern Kings looseforward Ruaan Lerm and Toyota Cheetahs prop Aranos Coetzee will reach significant career milestones when they take the field in the Guinness PRO14 this weekend, with both players making their 50th appearance for their teams.
​
Lerm will reach the milestone on Friday when the Isuzu Southern Kings go up against Munster at Irish Independent Park in Cork, while Coetzee strikes his 50 on Saturday when the Toyota Cheetahs meet the undefeated Leinster at the RDS Arena in Dublin.

While the Port Elizabeth side will have their sights set on bouncing back strongly from successive defeats against their countrymen, the Toyota Cheetahs – who are in third place on the Conference A log – face a mammoth task trying to topple the defending champions to maintain a comfortable lead over the trailing sides in their pool with an eye on a possible playoff spot later in the season.

Lerm was delighted about making his 50th appearance for the Isuzu Southern Kings and said: “It is something special for me and something I’ve been looking forward to. When you start playing you look up to the greats and see them getting their 50th and 100th caps, so it is humbling.”
With Munster having scored 62 points more than the Isuzu Southern Kings in their 10 matches so far this season, the visitors will back their attack, but they will have to stand firm on defence after conceding 162 points more the hosts this season.

Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie, meanwhile, praised Coetzee’s contribution to the team, especially in the set-pieces.

“He is one of the best scrummagers in the competition and that helps us a lot,” said Fourie.
“A lot of teams scrum for penalties and it puts you under pressure if your tighthead is not up to standard. The big thing there for me is Luan (de Bruin) is very close to Aranos. I think in the scrum Aranos is better, but in general play Luan is an exceptional tighthead, so they complement one another.”
The Free Staters will enter the clash as the underdogs given Leinster’s fine form, but Fourie believes his team’s attitude and self-belief will be vital.

“I think it is important to approach every game in the right way,” added Fourie.
“If you have already lost the game in your head before you get out onto the field, then why even travel? Why not stay in Bloemfontein?
“We are going there with the knowledge they are the strongest team, but we know if we pitch up on the day, then we will have a chance to win. And if you don’t think you have a chance, then you might as well not be in this competition.
“We have to play well and apply pressure on them. We can’t think too much about what they are going to do.”

Guinness PRO14 fixtures:
Munster v Isuzu Southern Kings
SA time: 21h35
Date: Friday, 14 February
Venue: Irish Independent Park, Cork
Referee: Nika Amashukeli
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher and Johnny Erskine
TMO: Charles Samson
TV: SS1
 
Leinster v Toyota Cheetahs
SA time: 16h30
Date: Saturday, 15 February
Venue: RDS Arena, Dublin
Referee: Ben Whitehouse
Assistant Referees: Stuart Gaffikin and Gwyn Morris
TMO: Ian Davies
TV: SS2
 
Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie believes his team’s comprehensive 45-0 whitewash of the Isuzu Southern Kings in their Guinness PRO14 derby in Bloemfontein on Saturday was the perfect build-up for their tough tour of Ireland and Wales.
The Free Staters scored seven tries and by general consensus, could have scored even more, as they dominated the clash from the outset and emphatically erased any memories of the nail-biting encounter between the sides last week.
Isuzu Southern Kings coach Robbie Kempson acknowledged after the clash that the Toyota Cheetahs are an extremely difficult side to play at home, and this could be beneficial when they play an extended run of matches in Bloemfontein in March.

However, they first face a challenging northern hemisphere tour which starts with a visit to Leinster on Saturday, 15 February, and then clashes against Ulster and the Dragons.
Fortunately for Fourie and his charges, their two wins over their Port Elizabeth counterparts have partially made up for their unexpected defeat to Zebre early in January, and this has handed them a valuable seven-point lead over the Glasgow Warriors on their conference log.

If they win overseas they could give themselves a chance to finish second in Conference A ahead of Ulster, which will be invaluable in terms of their playoff hopes.
Fourie was delighted about their back-to-back wins against the Isuzu Southern Kings and said: “We always go onto the field with the aim of dominating possession and making the most of it, and against the Kings we made a few mistakes too many, but I still feel we have grown in confidence in the two derbies and that will help us on our next tour.

“We knew the whole week they wanted to dominate the physical stuff, but we dominated.
“Last week, particularly in the first half, they had the upper hand up front, but we turned it around later in the game. In this match I thought our forwards did really well.”
Looking back at the close call against the Isuzu Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth, Fourie reckoned his men are better off for having to fight their way back into the match and snatch the win against the odds.
“The last 10 minutes of the Port Elizabeth game was very important to our whole campaign,” said Fourie. “Had we lost there, it could have gone pear shaped for us.
“Coming back the way we did, and Ruan Pienaar slotting over the conversion to win it for us was huge for our confidence.
“As they say, a one-point win can make a huge difference for the morale. It showed what great character this side has and it really pulled the guys together.”

The coach added: “If you look at the negatives there were at least three tries we should have rounded off which we didn’t, but there were a lot of opportunities we created, which is what we have been working towards.
“We worked hard on our execution this week, but we are still not quite where we want to be and we have some work to do before we tour.”

Kempson accepted their defeat graciously, giving all the credit to the Toyota Cheetahs for their effective performance.
“The Cheetahs were very good, you have to give them credit for the way they played,” said Kempson.
“They hit us with wave after wave of attack, they were exceptional at the breakdown, and when they get that sort of momentum going they are hard to stop.

“In some areas they are very strong. One of those is the driving maul. We earmarked that as an area to work on this week, but they still managed to get over the line. I think what happened was that we gave them a fright last week, and then in the back end of that game we gave them some heart and this time they came out and hit us with their big guns.”
Click here for the match report of Saturday’s match at the Toyota Stadium.
​
Issued by SA Rugby Communications

An epic Guinness PRO14 derby between the Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings is set to play out in Bloemfontein on Saturday, when both sides will target a victory at all costs.
While the Toyota Cheetahs are determined to register their sixth victory of the season to remain in third place in Conference A and gain some breathing space between themselves and the Glasgow Warriors on the log, the Isuzu Southern Kings are highly motivated to avenge their last minute 31-30 defeat last week against their countrymen.
Should the Free Staters register a victory, they will maintain their dominance against the men from Port Elizabeth in the tournament, which has seen them win all six encounters between the sides to date.

Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie was adamant that his charges had to deliver a much better display at home to emerge victorious: “There were a lot of things going through my head in the last 10 minutes last week. I had three different speeches for the changeroom and the press, but I was just grateful we pulled it through.

“We played really well in the closing minutes and put up a fight to pull the game back, and I’m proud of that. But in saying that, we all know we need to improve and that will start with a win at home.

“We want to be in the playoffs, and we are currently third on the log, so it is in our hands to stay there. We have played a game less than Glasgow and things are back on track,” added Fourie.

The Toyota Cheetahs are likely to welcome back physical looseforward Jasper Wiese – who has served his three-week suspension for a dangerous clean-out at a ruck – and Fourie was excited by the prospect after a tough forward battle in the first half against the Isuzu Southern Kings last week.

“We missed him,” said Fourie. “He is a skillful player with power and speed, and he brings a lot to the table.
“They (the Isuzu Southern Kings) definitely won the contact battle in the first half, and we spoke about that at half time and made a bit of a step up in the second half.

“If we can just get a bit more continuity, play through more phases and stretch the defence, I am pretty sure we will get the line breaks and the tries we need.”

Isuzu Southern Kings assistant coach Braam van Straaten was still annoyed this week after his charges let slip a 30-12 lead in Port Elizabeth, and he emphasised the importance of good discipline and brute physicality to give them a chance of earning their second win of the season.
“We worked so hard to win that game and we were controlling the match and winning the battle, and then in the dying minutes we lost composure and gave it away,” said Van Straaten.
“We are determined to go to Bloemfontein and turn that result around this week. We need to go out and perform to the best of our abilities without getting pulled into too many incidents. Our job is to focus on the game. It will be very physical but within the rules.”

Van Straaten added: “Cards have been an Achilles heel for us, and we’ve been getting on the wrong side of the referee, so discipline has been a big focus for us this year.
“High tackles are getting less and less, and we need to maintain that improvement. It is also crucial that we don’t give away soft penalties that will allow them to get into our half.”
Divan Uys, who hails from the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town and is on the National Panel of referees at SA Rugby after a steady progression up the ranks in South Africa in recent years, will make his Guinness PRO14 refereeing debut with the whistle.

The 33-year-old Uys made his Currie Cup debut in 2019 when the Vodacom Blue Bulls took on Tafel Lager Griquas, and has international experience at age-grade level, having refereed in the U18 International Series last year, featuring South Africa, England, Wales, France and Argentina.
​
Guinness PRO 14 fixture:
Toyota Cheetahs v Isuzu Southern Kings
SA time: 17h00
Date: Saturday, 1 February
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Referee: Divan Uys
Assistant Referees: Cwengile Jadezweni and Quinton Immelman
TMO: Johan Greeff
TV: SS1
 
Issued by SA Rugby Communications

There were contrasting emotions in the Toyota Cheetahs and Isuzu Southern Kings camps following the dramatic Guinness PRO14 derby between the sides at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday in which a brave comeback allowed the Free Staters to edge through 31-30.
While Isuzu Southern Kings coach Robbie Kempson was angry at his team’s last-minute defeat, Toyota Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie praised his side’s fighting spirit and veteran scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar’s influence as they bounced back from 30-12 down to earn the win.
​
Pienaar, who took the field a replacement, slotted over two conversions in the last 10 minutes – the second of which was to win the match.
The victory ensured that the Free Staters remained at the top-end of their conference, keeping them in the race for a possible playoff spot later in the season.

“We expected it to be a tight game, but I hoped it wouldn’t be that close,” said Fourie. “It is always a dogfight here. The Kings played really well.
“We made a lot of mistakes that earned them points, especially in the first half. There were three soft tries and that made the game difficult for us.”

Commenting on Pienaar’s influence, Fourie said: “It is great to have a guy with that sort of experience. I trusted him to take that kick. It was the difference between five points and two points, so it was a really important kick for us.”
Fourie complimented the Isuzu Southern Kings’ determined efforts, saying: “I feel that they dominated the contact on attack and defence, especially in the first half, and their lineout functioned well. They had us under pressure for moments in the game.

“They are definitely making progress, and there is a nice vibe in the camp, so they will do well going forward.”
In stark contrast to Fourie, Kempson was a disappointed man, and said individual mistakes cost the team in the end.
“It’s probably more anger than heartbreak,” said Kempson. “That is a game we could have and should have won, but we didn’t. Individual mistakes cost the team, and we have to look at those and make adjustments for the sake of the team, as that is much more important than the individual.

“All their points came from our mistakes.
“I think we had the upper hand on defence, and physically we were harder than them and you could see that from the number of guys who went off the field.”
​
Despite the disappointment, Kempson took some positives from the performance and said: “The most important thing was the way these guys climbed in on defence. The way our boys defended shows character. They are playing for the jersey but we are not getting the rub of the green in certain circumstances, although you can’t fault the players for that.”
The teams will meet again next Saturday, this time in Bloemfontein.
Click here for the full match report.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications