Kings ring the changes for PRO14 finale

Port Elizabeth - There were a raft of changes made – some positional and some injury-enforced – to the Southern Kings team when head coach Deon Davids released his match-day squad to take on the Cheetahs in the franchise’s final PRO14 match of the season at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium tomorrow. 

The backline sees the exciting Masixole Banda – deployed exclusively as fullback this season – get his first start at flyhalf with Yaw Penxe moving from the wing into the number 15 jersey.

Harlon Klaasen is drafted in on the wing vacated by Penxe.

Ntabeni Dukisa, who did duty at flyhalf in the Kings’ last match against the Cardiff Blues, switches to inside centre in place of Luzuko Vulindlu with Jacques Nel selected outside him in preference to Berton Klaasen. Nel also takes over the captain’s armband for the day as a result of regular skipper Schalk Ferreira being unavailable due to injury. 

Ferreira’s unavailability means there is a start in the No 1 jersey for Justin Forwood who makes a welcome return to action after a long-term injury.

Other changes amongst the forwards see Stephan Greeff re-united with regular lock partner Bobby De Wee and Lubabalo Mtyanda moved to the bench.

The loose forwards have also been re-arranged with only Marthinus Burger retaining his place after the Cardiff Blues encounter and Khaya Majola (flank) and Dries Van Schalkwyk (No 8) replacing Lusanda Badiyana and Ruaan Lerm respectively.

Kick-off is at 15:00.

Teams: 

Kings

15 Yaw Penxe, 14 Michael Makase, 13 Jacques Nel (captain), 12 Ntabeni Dukisa, 11 Harlon Klaasen, 10 Masixole Banda, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Dries van Schalkwyk, 7 Martinus Burger, 6 Khaya Majola, 5 Bobby de Wee, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Stephan Coetzee, 1 Justin Forwooddlen Masimla

Substitites: 16 Tango Balekile, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 Luvuyo Pupuma, 19 Lindokuhle Welemu, 20 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 21 Lusanda Badiyana, 22 JP Smith, 23 JC Roos

Cheetahs

15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Francois Venter (captain), 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Sibahle Maxwane, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Charl Wegner, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Ox Nche

Substitutes: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Chales Marais, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Henco Venter, 21 Zee Mkhabela, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Lloyd Greeff