Share

Kings wing admits he's nervous

Cape Town - Kings wing Siviwe "Shakes" Soyizwapi admits he's a bit nervous at the prospect of facing Springbok wing Bryan Habana at Newlands on Saturday.

Soyizwapi was on Thursday included in the Kings starting team for their Super Rugby clash against the Stormers. He replaces Siyanda Grey, who pulled out with a hamstring injury.

"I've always looked up to him and has kept an eye on his play for a long time," Soyizwapi told Die Burger's website.

"I'm quite nervous, as this will only be the second time I start a Super-match.

"But I'll try to stay calm and keep my focus."

Soyizwapi is actually more at home in the No 15 jersey, where he's played most of his rugby.

"I do, however enjoy playing wing. I enjoy chasing the ball and at wing you're also require to catch a high ball - just like a fullback.

He said the nickname "Shakes" stems from his childhood. "I played soccer as a youngster and really liked a striker named Shakes in a comic book. My friends then started calling me that," said the 20-year-old former Dale College learner.

The clash kicks off at 17:05 on Saturday.

Teams:

Stormers:

15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Deon Fourie, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Gerbrandt Grobler, 19 Don Armand, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Gary van Aswegen, 22 Gerhard van den Heever

Kings:

15 SP Marais, 14 Siviwe Soyizwapi, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Andries Strauss (captain), 11 Marcello Sampson, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Cornell du Preez, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Darron Nell, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Schalk Ferreira

Substitutes: 16 Hannes Franklin, 17 Grant Kemp, 18 Rynier Bernado, 19 Devin Oosthuizen, 20 Shaun Venter, 21 Shane Gates, 22 George Whitehead
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2250 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE