Cape Town - The Eastern Province Kings and the Sharks have reached a mutual agreement to call off a friendly clash which was scheduled for July 11 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Kings coach Brent Janse van Rensburg and Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold felt the timing of the match did not fit in with their build-up to the Currie Cup.
Both unions have recently undergone a number of changes in both coaching and playing personnel, and will be using the next month to continue fine-tuning their preparations for the Currie Cup.
“We apologise to members of the public who were looking forward to this encounter, but the situation at this stage just does not suit the preparations of both teams,” EP Kings CEO Charl Crous commented.
However, the Kings’ friendly matches against the Blue Bulls and Western Province at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will continue as scheduled.
They will play the Bulls in Port Elizabeth on Friday, July 17 (19:00 kick-off) and Western Province on Saturday, July 25 (19:00 kick-off).
The Kings start their Currie Cup campaign at home against the Golden Lions on Saturday, August 8, while the Sharks start against the Pumas in Nelspruit a day earlier.