Southern KingsThe 8th Article in the set discussing the Southern Kings.

In this Article we look at the contenders for BACK THREE (Wings & Fullbacks) in the Southern Kings 2013 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.

 

 

 

The Contenders:

 

Name: Michael Killian:

Position Wing
Height 1.81
Weight 80
Date of Birth 22 November 1983
Place of Birth Uitenhage
Provincial Debut 2004 for Mighty Elephants
Provincial Caps 124
Provincial Points 203
Super Rugby Debut 2008 for the Lions
Super Rugby Caps 35
Super Rugby Points 50
Test Debut
Test Caps 0
Test Points 0
Michael Killian

He started his career at the Kings (previously known as the Mighty Elephants) and made 58 appearances for them over 7 seasons.

In 2008, he moved to the Golden Lions, where he also became a regular for the Lions Super Rugby franchise.

On 5 June 2012, he announced that he would rejoin the Eastern Province Kings (formerly the Mighty Elephants) for the 2012 Currie Cup First Division.

Career:

  • 2002 – Mighty Elephants (Under 19 Competition)
  • 2003 – Mighty Elephants (ABSA Under 20 Section B)
  • 2004 – Mighty Elephants (Vodacom Shield), Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2005 – Mighty Elephants (Vodacom Cup), Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup Qualifying Round), Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2006 – NMMU (Fidentia National Club Championships), Mighty Elephants (Vodacom Cup), Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2007 – BA Mighty Elephants (Vodacom Cup), BA Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), BA Mighty elephants (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2008 – Golden Lions (Vodacom Cup), Auto & General Lions (Super 14), Xerox Lions ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), Xerox Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
  • 2009 – Lions (MTN test), Golden Lions (Vodacom Cup), Auto & General Lions (Super 14), Xerox Golden Lions (British & Irish Lions Tour), Xerox Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), Xerox Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
  • 2010 – Aoto & General Lions (Super 14), Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), Xerox Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
  • 2011 – MTN Lions (Super Rugby), MTN Golden Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
  • 2012 – MTN Lions (Super Rugby), MTN Golden Lions (Vodacom Cup), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup First Division), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation)

 

Name: Marcello Edward Dennis (Marcello) Sampson:

Position Wing
Height 1.83
Weight 81
Date of Birth 27 March 1987
Place of Birth Cape Town
Provincial Debut 2011 for the Eastern Province Kings
Provincial Caps 31
Provincial Points 85
Super Rugby Debut
Super Rugby Caps 0
Super Rugby Points 0
Test Debut
Test Caps 0
Test Points 0
Marcello Sampson

He started his career with Western Province in underage competitions and represented Ikeys in the Varsity Cup. In 2011, he joined the Eastern Province Kings.

Career:

  • 2006 – Vodacom Western Province (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
  • 2007 – Vodacom Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
  • 2008 – UCT (FNB Varsity Cup), Vodacom Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
  • 2009 – Western Province (Vodacom Cup), UCT (FNB Varsity Cup)
  • 2010 – UCT (FNB Varsity Cup)
  • 2011 – Eastern Province Kings (Vodacom Cup), South African Kings (IRB Nations Cup), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2012 – Eastern Province Kings (Vodacom Cup), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)

 

Name: Sergeal Petersen:

Position Wing
Height 1.71
Weight 82
Date of Birth 1 August 1994
Place of Birth Humansdorp
Provincial Debut
Provincial Caps 0
Provincial Points 0
Super Rugby Debut
Super Rugby Caps 0
Super Rugby Points 0
Test Debut
Test Caps 0
Test Points 0
Sergeal Petersen

He played for the Eastern Province Kings at all youth levels, representing them at the 2007 Under 13 Craven Week, the 2010 Under 16 Grant Khomo Week (scoring three tries in three games) and in the 2012 Under 18 Craven Week (scoring four tries in three games). The latter performance earned him inclusion in the SA Schools team that played against France, Wales and England in August 2012.

Despite interest from several other teams, he signed a contract with the Kings starting from 2013.

He also excelled in athletics, representing South Africa at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics in the 100m and long jump events..

Career:

  • 2007 – Eastern Province (Under 13 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
  • 2010 – Eastern Province (Under 16 Grant Khomo Week)
  • 2012 – South Africa (SA Schools), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Under 19 Competition)

 

Name: Sarel Petrus (SP) Marais:

Position Fullback
Height 1.85
Weight 85
Date of Birth 16 March 1989
Place of Birth Cape Town
Provincial Debut 2010 for the Leopards
Provincial Caps 37
Provincial Points 120
Super Rugby Debut
Super Rugby Caps 0
Super Rugby Points 0
Test Debut
Test Caps 0
Test Points 0
SP Marais

He played for the Boland Cavaliers in youth competitions and was part of the 2009 Vodacom Cup squad. He then moved to the Platinum Leopards for the 2010 season, where he scored three tries in the two relegation play-off games to keep the Platinum Leopards in the 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division.

However, it was then announced that he moved to the Eastern Province Kings for the 2011 Currie Cup First Division season.

Career:

  • 2008 – Boland (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
  • 2009 – Boland Cavaliers (Vodacom Cup), Boland (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
  • 2010 – Pukke (FNB Varsity Cup), Leopards (ABSA Under 21 Competition), Leopards (ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation)
  • 2011 – Eastern Province Kings (Vodacom Cup), South African Kings (IRB Nations Cup), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2012 – Eastern Province Kings (Vodacom Cup), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup First Division), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation)

 

Name: Siviwe Sonwabile Soyizwapi:

Position Fullback
Height 1.72
Weight 75
Date of Birth 7 December 1992
Place of Birth Mthatha
Provincial Debut 2012 for Eastern Province Kings
Provincial Caps 1
Provincial Points 0
Super Rugby Debut
Super Rugby Caps 0
Super Rugby Points 0
Test Debut
Test Caps 0
Test Points 0
Siviwe Soyizwapi

He played for the Border Bulldogs at the Under 18 Academy Week in 2010, earning a call-up to the South African Under 18 High Performance team before joining the Eastern Province Kings Academy. He played for them at Under 21 Currie Cup level in 2012 before making his debut in the 2012 Currie Cup Promotion/Relegation series against the Free State Cheetahs.

Career:

  • 2010 – Border (Under 18 Academy Week), South Africa (SA Under 18 High Performance)
  • 2012 – Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Under 21 Competition), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Under 21 Promotion / Relegation), Eastern Province Kings (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)

 

Name: Elric (Fires) van Vuuren:

Position Fullback
Height 1.82
Weight 94
Date of Birth 8 April 1985
Place of Birth Port Elizabeth
Provincial Debut 2006 for the Mighty Elephants
Provincial Caps 58
Provincial Points 332
Super Rugby Debut
Super Rugby Caps 0
Super Rugby Points 0
Test Debut
Test Caps 0
Test Points 0
Elric van Vuuren

He is currently playing with the SWD Eagles in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup. His regular position is full-back, centre or flyhalf.

Career:

  • 2004 – Free State (ABSA Under 20 Competition Section A)
  • 2005 – Free State (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
  • 2006 – Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup First Division), Mighty Elephants (Vodacom Cup)
  • 2007 – Border (Vodacom Cup), Border Bulldogs (ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), Border Bulldogs (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2008 – BA Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2011 – SWD (ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), SWD Eagles (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
  • 2012 – SWD Eagles (Vodacom Cup), SWD Eagles (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)

 

Starters:

Michael Killian and Marcello Samson are the likely starters on the wing and SP Marais probably the likely fullback. The Southern Kings are extremely thin at both wing and fullback, with Michael Killian probably the best player of the lot, however Michael Killian would not even make most other South African Super Rugby squads, let alone be a favourite to start and to star.

 

This was the last in the range to deal with the Southern Kings squad contenders for Super Rugby 2013.

11 Responses to Super Rugby: Southern Kings squad contenders – Back Three

  • 1

    Gentlemen & Ladies, this concludes the Squad Contenders Articles for the 5 South African Super Rugby participating franchises for 2013.

    Phweeew, what a schlepp it was to do these Kings ones….

  • 2

    Southern Kings are razor thin on wings and fullbacks… it’s actually scary!

  • 3

    2 @ grootblousmile:
    Yes Gbs it seems as if there is not much depth here which makes the decision to ommit Tiger Mangweni even more odd to me, although I admit to not knowing and awful lot about these players so maybe they will surprise us and play really well

  • 4

    The one player who seems interesting is the young Sergeal Peterson who is being thrown in at the deep end of Super rugby at the age of 18, but he certainly seems to have done well at whatever age group level he has played at, making SA Schools last year is quite good and he seems a really good all round sportsman as you write he has represented SA youth in athletics for 100m and long jump – must be quite pacy. So if he gets much game time and the backs get the ball out to him on the wing we may see yet another young fast star rising on the wing, will be keen to hear from you guys who get to watch the Super 15 more how he gets on.

  • 5

    Well done GBS, Sharky, JFK and Cheetah for all these articles about your teams Super 15 squads, I realize what hard work it must have been so appreciate the effort Approve Well done GBS, Sharky, JFK and Cheetah for all these articles about your teams Super 15 squads, I realize what hard work it must have been so appreciate the effort

  • 6

    Seems like we have come to the end of these type of articles and I know it takes time to do them but here is a request if any of you think its a good idea and have time I think it would be good now that we have heard all about the players to hear about the coaching staff and the rest of the backroom staff for the Super teams.Will be interesting to hear what the thoughts are about the respective coaching teams.

  • 7

    Killian will get injured pre-season and then the Kings will be on a slippery slide to oblivion.

    No last line of defence, not that Killian was ever the greatest defender, good on atack and counter attck but that’s it, sma efor SP Marais from what I’ve seen.

    Super Rugby teams can’t afford to have any “thin” areas, or the better teams will exploit them to the fullest.

    At best, this squad needs three season of Super Rugby to adapt to the tempo and physicallity, then, MAYBE, they’ll be able to compete.

  • 8

    Eish, Super Rugby is not tiddly winks. Many of these wingers are small by current standards.

    How is a wee fella like Sergeal Peterson and Soyizwapi going to stop runaway trains like Julian Savea who is just as fast, and weighs about 30 kg’s more?

    Unfortunately size does count. A good small one will always be beaten by an equally adept big one!

    An exceptionally good small one could still survive, like Aplon, Russeel have shown, but they are the exceptions, rather than the rule.

  • 9

    6 @ Bully,
    We aim to please Delicious

    Will certainly entertain your suggestion Squire

  • 10

    I was chatting to some of the Lions players last at a function at Ellis Park, and they are amped for the season, and are looking especially forward to the warm up game against the Kings.

  • 11

    10 @ Lion4ever:
    Absolutely. Really looking forward to watching Lions play this season, especially that there are new teams to play against. Makes it exciting actually.

    Another thing Lions will have the whole country behind them playing these games. Of couse not when playing our home teams here, but playing the teams from abroad Lions will have all of us behind them.

    Another thing not sure if it is only Scrumdown doing articles for Lions here but we should also have a Lions Squad up with their props, locks, loose forwards, fhs, centres and back three. Like all the other teams have done. As they are going to be playing matches this year whether in Super Rugby or not they have a good schedule. So need to get their squad up as well for us to discuss.

    Good luck to your Lions Boet. I am behind them all the way this year, only not against my Sharks of course.

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