Kings want to earn respect

Cape Town - Southern Kings scrumhalf Kevin Luiters says they are hoping to earn respect when they face the Hurricanes in Wellington this weekend.

The Kings played their first overseas fixture of the season when they faced the Crusaders in Christchurch last Saturday. They managed to score three tries in a 57-24 loss against the seven-time Super Rugby champions, even surging into a 10-0 lead early in the first half thanks to a try from wing Luzuko Vulindlu.

Hooker Edgar Marutulle and flank Chris Cloete also crossed the tryline for the Port Elizabeth-based franchise.

Despite the loss, the Kings are hoping to continue their improvements in Super Rugby when they face the Hurricanes on Friday.

Luiters said the squad of players are determined to make their mark.

“We’re all very positive and there’s a lot of energy circulating among the players on tour. It’s an exciting time for all of us,” Luiters told MyPlayers.

“We hope to gain respect from each competitor we face during Super Rugby this season. We have set out a number of goals and objectives ahead of a challenging schedule, and as a team, we believe we can achieve everything we have set for ourselves.”

The Kings picked up several lessons from their match against the Crusaders, and will look to rectify their errors against the Hurricanes this weekend.

“New Zealand teams thrive with quick ball, intensity and broken play. We need to be able to step up in these areas of the game,” said Luiters. “If we manage to keep possession and control the tempo of the game, we’ll be able to achieve the upper hand.”

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