Port Elizabeth - Southern Kings coach Deon Davids has named his team for Friday’s PRO14 encounter against Welsh club Scarlets (19:00 kick-off).
Davids opted for consistency in his backline after naming an unchanged back seven from the team that last did duty in Italy, against Benetton, a fortnight ago.
Up front, there are three changes.
Loosehead prop Schalk Ferreira, who missed the match against Benetton due to a fractured nose, is back in the starting XV. Hooker Alandre van Rooyen will make his first start of the season in the place of the injured Michael Willemse.
Loose-forward Stephan de Wit comes in at No 6 in a rotational switch with CJ Velleman, who falls out of the match-day 23 squad.
Lock JC Astle takes over the captaincy from Willemse.
There is some excitement surrounding the inclusion of newbies Tertius Kruger and Fijian Meli Rokoua on the bench.
“I’m excited to see them. It’s time now for them to step and show that they can play at this level. I’m excited to see them impose themselves and showing what they can bring. The new guys have shown us some glimpses of what they can offer, so we are excited to see that in match situations,” Davids said.
“We are rotating CJ Velleman and Stephan de Wit, while even though he has recovered, this rotation also gives him more time in the recovery from the shoulder injury he sustained in the previous match.”
The Southern Kings will play the match in pink socks to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Teams:
Southern Kings
15 Masixole Banda, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Harlon Klassen, 12 Berton Klassen, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Martin du Toit, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Ruaan Lerm, 6 Stephan de Wit, 5 JC Astle (captain), 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Luvuyo Pupuma, 2 Alandre van Rooyen 1 Schalk Ferreira
Substitutes: 16 Tango Balekile, 17 Justin Forwood, 18 Luphumlo Mguca, 19 Stephan Greeff, 20 Tienie Burger, 21 Rudi van Rooyen, 22 Tertius Kruger, 23 Meli Rokoua
Scarlets
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Paul Asquith, 12 Steff Hughes (captain), 11 Ioan Nicholas, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Josh Macleod, , 6 Will Boyde, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Steve Cummins, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Marc Jones, 1 Phil Price
Substitutes: 16 Dafydd Hughes, 17 Dylan Evans, 18 Simon Gardiner, 19 Tom Price, 20 Josh Helps, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Morgan Williams, 23 Ed Kennedy