Kings must explain rule breach

The Kings will have to explain in a report to the South African Rugby Union (SARU) why they picked three foreign players in their 22-man squad against the Chiefs on Friday night.

According to the SA Rugby magazine website, the Kings utilised three foreign players in Friday’s 35-24 loss to the defending Super Rugby champions.

Captain Darron Nell was injured in the warm-up prior to the game, which saw Argentine loose forward Tomás Leonardi join countryman Nicolas Vergallo on the bench. New Zealander Hadleigh Parkes started at inside centre, which meant the Kings fielded three foreign players in their squad – one more than the two allowed by SARU.

Leonardi was on the field from the 23rd to the 32nd minute as a replacement, and again from the 58th minute onwards, while scrumhalf Vergallo came on in 79th minute. Parkes was substituted in the 72nd minute.

Two other players, prop Jaco Engels (Namibia) and forward Daniel Adongo (Kenya), also came off the bench but are not considered foreigners, as players from the African continent are not regarded as foreign players, according to SARU policy.

The Kings this week travel to Australasia where they wil face seven-times champions, the Crusaders, in Christchurch on Saturday.

The men from Port Elizabeth are currently second from bottom on the overall log, and last in the South African conference.