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Pretoria - Kings coach Deon Davids says he drew inspiration from watching the British and Irish Lions take on the All Blacks ahead of his side's 31-30 win over the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
Earlier that day, the Lions had claimed a 15-15 draw against New Zealand to draw the three-match series 1-1 and cause a major upset.
Davids, who has seen his Kings upset a number of sides this season, says he used the example of the Lions and what they had achieved to motivate his players ahead of their clash against the Bulls.
"When I looked at the Lions this morning against the All Blacks, I told the guys that there is not a big difference between the Lions and the type of team that we are," Davids said in Pretoria.
"Talented players that have been put together to go and play in a tournament.
"It was actually also mission impossible, but they got together with a common goal and almost achieved what people thought was impossible."
The Kings have now won an impressive six matches from 14 this season while the Bulls have won just four from 14. Still, it is the Kings who were given confirmation on Friday that they will not be playing in next year's Super Rugby competition.
They, along with the Cheetahs, are being heavily linked with the Pro12 in Europe.
"It's a bit of a disappointment but we never spoke about this whole issue," Davids said of his side's Super Rugby exclusion.
"We were entirely focused on the task at hand. It's a huge privilege to play in Super Rugby. As coaches and players we have grown a lot."
"We're in this situation and we're still not clear exactly how it's going to evolve, but we just want to enjoy this moment."
Whatever happens from here, the Kings have done enough this season to ensure that they can leave the tournament with their heads held high.
"For us from the start, we worked hard on getting a common goal in terms of what we want. We've laid down a clear plan in terms of how we want to play the game by looking at the type of players we have, and never looking back," added Davids.
"In the situation that we are in now, this will be the last Southern Kings team that ever plays a Super Rugby game. If people look back, they will look back at this team and the individuals and the passion, pride, heart and soul that they have showcased.
"Irrespective of what happens in life, if your dreams are strong and you put in the hard work and do things for the right reasons ... that is the legacy we want to leave."
The Kings end their Super Rugby season when they host the Kings in Port Elizabeth this weekend.
