# 2013 Southern Kings season

The Southern Kings participated in their first ever Super Rugby competition in 2013. They won three, drew one and lost twelve of their matches during the regular season to finish fifth and last in the South African Conference and fifteenth and last on the overall log. Their top try scorer in the competition was Wimpie van der Walt, who got six tries, and their top points scorer was Demetri Catrakilis, who scored 142 points. As a result of finishing bottom of the South African Conference, they had to play a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off series against the Lions. The Lions beat them 44–42 on aggregate to return to Super Rugby in 2014 at the expense of the Kings.
It was also their final season in Super Rugby until 2016, when they returned after the Super Rugby competition was expanded to 18 teams.

## Chronological list of events

* 24 November 2012: A 51-man Southern Kings wider training squad is announced prior to the 2013 Super Rugby season.
* 27 November 2012: Despite not being named in the initial training group, Director of Rugby Alan Solomons confirms that Kenyan loose-forward Daniel Adongo will also join up with the team.
* 17 December 2012: The Kings sign French hooker Virgile Lacombe.
* 3 January 2013: After failing to pass a fitness test following a shoulder injury, Burton Francis was released by the Kings' wider training squad and returned to SWD Eagles.
* 7 January 2013: The wider training squad is cut to a core training squad of 40 players, with 13 players moving to the Vodacom Cup squad instead.
* 14 January 2013: Boetie Britz is recalled to the Southern Kings training squad following a knee injury to Hannes Franklin.
* 22 January 2013: The Kings beat Varsity Cup side NMMU Madibaz 28–12 in a warm-up game.
* 1 February 2013: The Kings beat a Franchise XV – effectively the SWD Eagles – 29–13 in a warm-up game.
* 6 February 2013: The kit for the Super Rugby season is officially launched.
* 9 February 2013: The Kings lose 31–41 to the Lions in a 2013 Lions Challenge Series match.
* 12 February 2013: The Southern Kings core training squad is further reduced to 35 players, with seven players – Boetie Britz, Wesley Dunlop, Ross Geldenhuys, Lizo Gqoboka, Scott Mathie, Siviwe Soyizwapi and Wayne Stevens – moving to the Vodacom Cup squad instead, while SWD Eagles prop Grant Kemp is a new inclusion in the squad.
* 21 March 2013: Despite being initially named in the Southern Kings squad to tour Australasia for games against Crusaders, Hurricanes, Brumbies and Rebels, Virgile Lacombe and Tomás Leonardi are recalled after the Kings fielded more than the allowed two foreigner players in their match against the Chiefs.
* 31 March 2013: Hadleigh Parkes suffered a broken arm in the match against the Hurricanes and Siviwe Soyizwapi is called into the touring squad as his replacement.
* 7 June 2013: Two Kings players join French teams for the 2013–14 season; prop Kevin Buys joins Top 14 side CA Brive and fly-half Wesley Dunlop joins Fédérale 1 side US Montauban.
* 2 July 2013: Kings players Virgile Lacombe and Tomás Leonardi both leave the club after the contracts expire.

## Personnel
### Squad

The following players were named in the Kings squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season:
| 2013 Kings squad |
| Player | Union | Position/s | Date of birth (age) | Super Rugby | Super Rugby | Kings | Kings |
| Player | Union | Position/s | Date of birth (age) | Apps | Pts | Apps | Pts |
| Daniel Adongo | Eastern Province Kings | Lock / loose forward | (1989-10-12)12 October 1989 (aged 23) | – | – | – | – |
| Rynier Bernardo | Eastern Province Kings | Lock | (1991-08-27)27 August 1991 (aged 21) | – | – | – | – |
| David Bulbring | Eastern Province Kings | Lock | (1989-09-12)12 September 1989 (aged 23) | 3 | 0 | – | – |
| Kevin Buys | Eastern Province Kings | Prop | (1986-04-26)26 April 1986 (aged 26) | 13 | 0 | – | – |
| Demetri Catrakilis | Eastern Province Kings | Fly-half | (1989-09-06)6 September 1989 (aged 23) | – | – | – | – |
| Ronnie Cooke | Eastern Province Kings | Centre / wing | (1985-01-05)5 January 1985 (aged 28) | 24 | 25 | – | – |
| Aidon Davis | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1994-04-29)29 April 1994 (aged 18) | – | – | – | – |
| Charl du Plessis | Eastern Province Kings | Prop | (1987-04-08)8 April 1987 (aged 25) | – | – | – | – |
| Cornell du Preez | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1991-03-23)23 March 1991 (aged 21) | – | – | – | – |
| Wesley Dunlop | Eastern Province Kings | Fly-half | (1987-05-12)12 May 1987 (aged 25) | – | – | – | – |
| Jacques Engelbrecht | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1985-06-10)10 June 1985 (aged 27) | – | – | – | – |
| Jaco Engels | Eastern Province Kings | Prop | (1980-12-17)17 December 1980 (aged 32) | 40 | 10 | – | – |
| Schalk Ferreira | Eastern Province Kings | Prop | (1984-02-09)9 February 1984 (aged 29) | 16 | 0 | – | – |
| Hannes Franklin | Eastern Province Kings | Hooker | (1981-10-06)6 October 1981 (aged 31) | 12 | 10 | – | – |
| Shane Gates | Eastern Province Kings | Centre | (1993-09-27)27 September 1993 (aged 19) | – | – | – | – |
| Siyanda Grey | Eastern Province Kings | Wing | (1989-08-16)16 August 1989 (aged 23) | – | – | – | – |
| Johan Herbst | SWD Eagles | Scrum-half | (1987-05-18)18 May 1987 (aged 25) | – | – | – | – |
| Grant Kemp | SWD Eagles | Prop | (1988-10-31)31 October 1988 (aged 24) | – | – | – | – |
| Michael Killian | Eastern Province Kings | Wing | (1983-11-22)22 November 1983 (aged 29) | 37 | 50 | – | – |
| Virgile Lacombe | Eastern Province Kings | Hooker | (1984-07-07)7 July 1984 (aged 28) | – | – | – | – |
| Tomás Leonardi | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1987-07-01)1 July 1987 (aged 25) | – | – | – | – |
| Bandise Maku | Eastern Province Kings | Hooker | (1986-06-24)24 June 1986 (aged 26) | 33 | 0 | – | – |
| Thabo Mamojele | Eastern Province Kings | Lock / loose forward | (1986-07-29)29 July 1986 (aged 26) | – | – | – | – |
| SP Marais | Eastern Province Kings | Fullback | (1989-03-16)16 March 1989 (aged 23) | – | – | – | – |
| Edgar Marutlulle | Leopards | Hooker | (1987-12-20)20 December 1987 (aged 25) | 8 | 0 | – | – |
| Mpho Mbiyozo | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1983-02-07)7 February 1983 (aged 30) | – | – | – | – |
| Waylon Murray | Eastern Province Kings | Centre | (1986-04-27)27 April 1986 (aged 26) | 55 | 40 | – | – |
| Darron Nell | Eastern Province Kings | Lock | (1980-03-08)8 March 1980 (aged 32) | 10 | 10 | – | – |
| Devin Oosthuizen | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1988-05-28)28 May 1988 (aged 24) | – | – | – | – |
| Hadleigh Parkes | Eastern Province Kings | Centre / wing | (1987-10-05)5 October 1987 (aged 25) | 13 | 10 | – | – |
| Sergeal Petersen | Eastern Province Kings | Wing | (1994-08-01)1 August 1994 (aged 18) | – | – | – | – |
| Marcello Sampson | Eastern Province Kings | Wing | (1987-03-27)27 March 1987 (aged 25) | – | – | – | – |
| Siviwe Soyizwapi | Eastern Province Kings | Fullback / wing | (1992-12-07)7 December 1992 (aged 20) | – | – | – | – |
| Andries Strauss | Eastern Province Kings | Centre | (1984-03-05)5 March 1984 (aged 28) | 40 | 20 | – | – |
| Steven Sykes | Eastern Province Kings | Lock | (1984-08-05)5 August 1984 (aged 28) | 69 | 45 | – | – |
| Scott van Breda | Eastern Province Kings | Fullback / wing | (1991-12-12)12 December 1991 (aged 21) | – | – | – | – |
| Wimpie van der Walt | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1989-01-06)6 January 1989 (aged 24) | – | – | – | – |
| Elric van Vuuren | SWD Eagles | Fullback | (1985-04-08)8 April 1985 (aged 27) | – | – | – | – |
| Shaun Venter | Pumas | Scrum-half | (1987-03-16)16 March 1987 (aged 25) | – | – | – | – |
| Nicolás Vergallo | Eastern Province Kings | Scrum-half | (1983-04-20)20 April 1983 (aged 29) | – | – | – | – |
| Luke Watson | Eastern Province Kings | Loose forward | (1983-10-26)26 October 1983 (aged 29) | 82 | 55 | – | – |
| George Whitehead | Eastern Province Kings | Fly-half / fullback | (1989-03-17)17 March 1989 (aged 23) | – | – | – | – |
| Note: Players' ages and statistics are correct as of 23 February 2013, the date of the opening round of the competition. |

### Coaches and management

The Kings coaching and management staff for the 2013 Super Rugby season were:
| 2013 Kings coaches and management |
| Position | Name |
| Director of Rugby | Alan Solomons |
| Head coach | Matt Sexton |
| Defence and breakdown coach | Omar Mouneimne |
| Backs and attack coach | Brad Mooar |
| Performance analyst | Southy Steenkamp |
| Strength and conditioning coach | Johan Pretorius |
| Physiotherapist | James Fleming |
| Doctor | Dr Conrad van Hagen |
| Masseur | Lelani van der Merwe |
| Assistant physiotherapist | Kim Naidoo |
| Manager | Willem Oliphant |
| Logistics manager | Sydney Goba |

## Season
### Log

The final log standings in the 2013 Super Rugby season were:
Overall standings :
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Bye | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Chiefs | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 458 | 364 | +94 | 50 | 38 | 8 | 2 | 66 |
| 2 | Bulls | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 448 | 330 | +118 | 41 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 63 |
| 3 | Brumbies | 16 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 430 | 295 | +135 | 43 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 60 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 446 | 307 | +139 | 44 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 60 |
| 5 | Reds | 16 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 321 | 296 | +25 | 31 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 58 |
| 6 | Cheetahs | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 382 | 358 | +24 | 38 | 32 | 2 | 4 | 54 |
| 7 | Stormers | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 346 | 292 | +54 | 30 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 50 |
| 8 | Sharks | 16 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 384 | 305 | +79 | 40 | 31 | 3 | 5 | 48 |
| 9 | Waratahs | 16 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 411 | 371 | +40 | 45 | 34 | 1 | 4 | 45 |
| 10 | Blues | 16 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 347 | 364 | −17 | 40 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 44 |
| 11 | Hurricanes | 16 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 386 | 457 | −71 | 41 | 49 | 4 | 5 | 41 |
| 12 | Rebels | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 382 | 515 | −133 | 44 | 65 | 4 | 5 | 37 |
| 13 | Force | 16 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 267 | 366 | −99 | 26 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 31 |
| 14 | Highlanders | 16 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 374 | 496 | −122 | 40 | 55 | 4 | 5 | 29 |
| 15 | Southern Kings | 16 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 298 | 564 | −266 | 27 | 69 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| South African Conference |
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Bye | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Bulls | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 448 | 330 | +118 | 41 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 63 |
| 2 | Cheetahs | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 382 | 358 | +24 | 38 | 32 | 2 | 4 | 54 |
| 3 | Stormers | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 346 | 292 | +54 | 30 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 50 |
| 4 | Sharks | 16 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 384 | 305 | +79 | 40 | 31 | 3 | 5 | 48 |
| 5 | Southern Kings | 16 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 298 | 564 | −266 | 27 | 69 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| Final standings. |
The final log standings in the 2013 Super Rugby promotion/relegation play-off were:
Standings :
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Lions | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 42 | +2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | Southern Kings | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 44 | −2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Final standings. |

### Round-by-round

The Kings' round-by-round progression throughout the season was:
| Team Progression – 2013 Super Rugby season |
| Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 |
| Southern Kings | — | 4 (3rd) | 8 (7th) | 8 (7th) | 8 (14th) | 8 (14th) | 8 (14th) | 11 (14th) | 15 (13th) | 15 (14th) | 15 (14th) | 15 (14th) | 20 (13th) | 24 (13th) | 24 (13th) | 24 (14th) | 24 (14th) | 24 (14th) | 24 (15th) | 24 (15th) |
| For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets. |
| Key: | win | draw | loss | bye | no game | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Matches

The results of the Kings' matches during the season were:

## Player statistics

The Super Rugby appearance record for players that represented the Kings in 2013 is as follows:
| 2013 Southern Kings player statistics |
| Player name | FOR | SHA | CHI | CRU | HUR | BRU | REB | BUL | CHE | WAR | HIG | CHE | STO | BUL | STO | SHA | LIO | LIO | App | Try | Kck | Pts |
| Schalk Ferreira | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Bandise Maku | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Buys | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | 3 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Bulbring | 4 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 18 | 5 | 18 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Sykes | 5 | 4 | 4 | | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | | | 18 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Wimpie van der Walt | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | | 7 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| Luke Watson | 7 | | | | | | | 8 | 19 | 19 | 7 | 7 | | | | | | | 6 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Cornell du Preez | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | 6 | 6 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Shaun Venter | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Demetri Catrakilis | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | | 10 | 10 | | 10 | | 15 | 0 | 151 | 151 |
| Marcello Sampson | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | 21 | 21 | 11 | | | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | | 14 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Andries Strauss | 12 | 12 | 22 | | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | | | | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronnie Cooke | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | | 13 | 13 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Sergeal Petersen | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | 8 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| SP Marais | 15 | 15 | 15 | | | | | | | | 22 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | | 15 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Edgar Marutlulle | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaco Engels | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Adongo | 18 | 19 | 19 | 4 | 19 | | | | | | 18 | | 22 | | | | | | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacques Engelbrecht | 19 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 8 | 8 | | 19 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Johan Herbst | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Whitehead | 21 | 21 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 22 | 10 | 22 | 22 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 17 | 2 | 21 | 31 |
| Hadleigh Parkes | 22 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darron Nell | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nicolás Vergallo | | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Tomás Leonardi | | | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rynier Bernardo | | | | 18 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 5 | 5 | | 18 | 18 | 18 | | | | | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin Oosthuizen | | | | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | 19 | | 19 | 19 | 19 | 7 | 19 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Waylon Murray | | | | 21 | 21 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 21 | 21 | | | | | | 13 | 22 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elric van Vuuren | | | | 22 | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hannes Franklin | | | | | 16 | 2 | 2 | 16 | | | | | 16 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Grant Kemp | | | | | 17 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 3 | 17 | 17 | | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Siviwe Soyizwapi | | | | | | 15 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | | | 14 | | | 15 | | | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott van Breda | | | | | | | | 21 | | | | | | | | | | 14 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 18 |
| Michael Killian | | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | 14 | 14 | 22 | | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Siyanda Grey | | | | | | | | | 14 | 11 | 14 | 14 | | | | | | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Virgile Lacombe | | | | | | | | | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | | | | | | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shane Gates | | | | | | | | | | | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charl du Plessis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 | 1 | | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mpho Mbiyozo | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Thabo Mamojele | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidon Davis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wesley Dunlop | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 18 | 31 | 185 | 340 |