Harman Patil (Editor)

2015 Eastern Province Kings season

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President
  
Cheeky Watson

Record
  
Won 2, Lost 6

Rank
  
7th

Stadium
  
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Coach
  
Brent Janse van Rensburg

Captain
  
Luke Watson / Steven Sykes / Tim Whitehead

In 2015, the Eastern Province Kings will participate in the Currie Cup and the Vodacom Cup competitions. The Eastern Province U21 team will also play in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A and the Eastern Province U19 team in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A. As part of the Southern Kings franchise, a number of players will also participate in friendlies for this franchise.

Contents

Chronological list of events

  • 5 November 2014: The squad for the 2015 season is revealed. New recruits include Eital Bredenkamp, Tazz Fuzani and Jan Uys from Western Province.
  • 14 November 2014: Winger Paul Perez's contract is terminated with immediate effect after an incident of absenteeism.
  • 17 November 2014: Blue Bulls fly-half Tony Jantjies joins the Kings ahead of the 2015 season, defensive coach Michael Horak joins Durban-based side the Sharks prior to the 2015 Super Rugby season. and the Sharks confirm that Paul Perez joined them on a trial basis.
  • 29 December 2014: Forwards coach Shaun Sowerby also leaves the Kings' coaching staff, returning to France (where he spent ten years as a player) to join Montpellier as a forwards coach.
  • 14 January 2015: Three players join the Kings on a trial basis – scrum-half Dylon Frylinck, who represented Western Province in the 2014 Vodacom Cup, the Stormers in the 2014 Super Rugby season and the Pumas in the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division; lock Cornell Hess, who spent 2014 at Griquas, but failed to make any appearances following a knee injury and hooker Martin van der Heever, who previously played for Toulouse in France.
  • 15 January 2015: The Kings officially confirm that Omar Mouneimne rejoined the side as defensive coach. He had a previous spell with the side before following Alan Solomons to Edinburgh in 2013. James Fleming, who previously had a spell at the Kings as a physiotherapist before joining the Sharks for 2014, also returns to the Kings in his new role of Head of High Performance.
  • 19 January 2015: The Eastern Province Kings Academy hand a scholarship to Craven Week and South African Schools prop Lupumlo Mguca to finish his schooling at Burnside High School in Christchurch, New Zealand.
  • 30 January 2015: A 38-man squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup is revealed. The Kings also confirm that Dylon Frylinck and Cornell Hess were offered contracts for the duration of the Vodacom Cup competition.
  • 2 February 2015: Leopards wingers Sylvian Mahuza and Luther Obi are training with the EP Kings.
  • 8 February 2015: Eastern Province and South African Schools fly-half Curwin Bosch is named the 2014 Craven Week Player of the Tournament at the annual South African Rugby Union awards ceremony.
  • 12 February 2015: Lock Steven Sykes joins the Cheetahs on loan for the 2015 Super Rugby season.
  • 25 February 2015: Just over a month after confirming his appointment, the EP Kings announce that defensive coach Omar Mouneimne is leaving them again to take up a consultancy role at French Top 14 side Lyon.
  • 27 February 2015: The EP Kings announce that they have come to an arrangement with the Leopards for the services of their wingers Sylvian Mahuza and Luther Obi, who will be included in their squad for the 2015 Vodacom Cup.
  • 2 March 2015: Brent Janse van Rensburg is appointed the new Head of Defence at the Kings following his release from the Golden Lions.
  • 6 March 2015: The Free State Cheetahs beat the Eastern Province Kings 31–30 in a pre-season trial match in Port Elizabeth. The Kings scored four tries through Hansie Graaff, George Whitehead, Kevin Luiters and Dylon Frylinck, with Scott van Breda and Tony Jantjies each converting one of those tries. George Whitehead also kicked two penalties in the match.
  • 14 March 2015: The Eastern Province Kings beat the Golden Lions 13–8 in a pre-season trial match. Eital Bredenkamp scored the Kings' only try of the match, with Gary van Aswegen converting the try and kicking two penalties.
  • 25 March 2015: Three Eastern Province Kings players are named in an extended South Africa Under-20 training group as part of their preparation for the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship – fullback Malcolm Jaer and flankers Tyler Paul and CJ Velleman.
  • 27 March 2015: Prop Charl du Plessis announces his retirement from rugby following medical advice regarding persistent back problems. He made 31 appearances for the Eastern Province Kings since 2012 and also played in 2 Super Rugby matches for the Kings, plus one leg of the relegation play-off series against the Lions.
  • 9 June 2015: Defense coach Brent Janse van Rensburg is appointed the new head coach of the Eastern Province Kings for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division.
  • 24 June 2015: Fly-half Tony Jantjies' contract is terminated with immediate effect following a breach of team protocol.
  • 21 July 2015: Former head coach and the current kicking and specialist skills coach, Carlos Spencer, leaves the EP Kings after being involved with the side since December 2013.
  • 24 July 2015: Grey High School players Curwin Bosch (fly-half) and Khwezi Mafu (loose forward) are both named in the 2015 South African Schools squad to play internationals against Wales, France and England, while Grey lock Kamva Dilima is named in the South African Schools 'A' squad to play against Italy, England and Wales, alongside Hoërskool Framesby players André Lategan (hooker) and Riaan van Rensburg (fullback) and HTS Daniel Pienaar centre Heino Bezuidenhout.
  • 17 August 2015: The Kings announced a three-year apparel sponsorship deal with BLK, starting in 2016. The deal would see BLK supply the kit for the Eastern Province Kings Currie Cup side, as well as the Southern Kings Super Rugby side.
  • Player list

    The following players were named in a pre-season training squad:

    Vodacom Cup squad

    The following players were included in their 2015 Vodacom Cup squad:

    Player Statistics

    The following table shows players statistics for the 2015 Vodacom Cup season:

  • Albé de Swardt, Malcolm Jaer, Shaun McDonald, Vukile Sofisa, Jan Uys and CJ Velleman were named in the 2015 Vodacom Cup squad, but never included in a matchday 22.
  • Player Appearances

    The following players appeared for the Eastern Province Kings during the 2015 Vodacom Cup:

  • Albé de Swardt, Malcolm Jaer, Shaun McDonald, Vukile Sofisa, Jan Uys and CJ Velleman were named in the 2015 Vodacom Cup squad, but never included in a matchday 22.
  • Log

    The final log of the round-robin stage of the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division was:

    Player Appearances

    The player appearance record in the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division is as follows:

    Log

    The final league standings for the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A were:

    Player Record

    The player record in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A is as follows:

    Under-19 Provincial Championship

    The final league standings for the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A were:

    Player Record

    The player record in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A is as follows:

    Varsity Rugby

    The Eastern Province Kings Rugby Academy is based at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth and most of the academy players played Varsity Rugby; either for the NMMU Madibaz in the Varsity Cup or for the NMMU Young Guns in the Under-20 competition.

    The following players were included in the Varsity Rugby squads:

    Youth weeks

    The Eastern Province Rugby Union announced their squads for the 2015 Under-18 Craven Week, the 2015 Under-18 Academy Week and the 2015 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week tournaments on 20 May 2015:

    Under-18 Craven Week

    The 2015 Under-18 Craven Week competition was held between 13 and 18 July 2015 in Stellenbosch. Eastern Province Rugby Union entered two sides – Eastern Province U18 and Eastern Province Country Districts U18.

    Under-18 Academy Week

    The 2015 Under-18 Academy Week competition was held between 6 and 9 July 2015 in Vanderbijlpark. Eastern Province Rugby Union entered two sides – Eastern Province U18 and Eastern Province Country Districts U18.

    Under-16 Grant Khomo Week

    The 2015 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week competition was held between 6 and 9 July 2015 in Oudtshoorn.

    Under-13 Craven Week

    The 2015 Under-13 Craven Week competition was held between 29 June and 3 July 2014 in White River.

    Under-18 LSEN Week

    The 2015 Under-18 LSEN Week (for Learners with Special Educational Needs) competition was held between 29 June and 2 July 2015 in Worcester.

    References

    2015 Eastern Province Kings season Wikipedia