The final Super Rugby match in Round 11 is in Port Elizabeth where the Southern Kings and the Blues will play for the first time.
The Kings played in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament but the way in which the draw worked meant that they missed each other that year. The Kings were then relegated until this year.
The Southern Kings have had to travel almost as much as the Blues for this match as they lost to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires in the last match of Round 10.
The Blues played (and beat) the Rebels in Auckland last week on Saturday and then flew to South Africa.
The Kings have had a difficult season and only have a victory over the Sunwolves to show from their 8 matches played. They are last in the standings and have only accumulated four points from the one victory.
The Blues beat the Highlanders in the opening round but then suffered some differing form and are now on a two match unbeaten run. The Blues are on 20 points and a victory this weekend could put them into the top 10.
The Kings have made three changes for this match. Loosehead prop Schalk Ferreira has been replaced by Sithembiso Sithole due to a hand injury.
In the backs James Hall starts at scrumhalf replacing Ntando Kebe and Jurgen Visser comes in at fullback replacing Jaco van Tonder.
The Blues have tinkered with the team that beat the Rebels and Melani Nanai, who had three starts early in the season, returns to start on the right wing in place of Rieko Ioane, who has joined the All Blacks Sevens.
The other changes come in the front row with Ofa Tu’ungafasi , who has played in every game this year, gets a start after four games coming off the bench, swapping with Charlie Faumuina.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ (Sky), Aus (Fox Sports), SA (SuperSport) and in the UK on Sky Sports 4 on the Red Button.
Average score: N/A
No past results
Match No.85:Kings v Blues
Date : Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Venue : Saturday 7 May 2016
Kick Off local: 17:10 local
Referee: Federico Anselmi
Assistant Ref 1:Rasta Rasivhenge
Assistant Ref 2:Archie Sehlako
TMO :Christie du Preez
Teams
Kings
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Lukhanyo Am, 13 Stefan Watermeyer, 12 Shane Gates, 11 Luzuko Vulindlu, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 James Hall, 8 Cyril-John Velleman, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 John-Charles Astle, 4 Steven Sykes (captain), 3 Tom Botha, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Sithembiso Sithole
Replacements: 16 Martin Ferreira, 17 Justin Ackerman, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Schalk Oelofse, 20 Stefan Willemse, 21 Ntando Kebe, 22 Louis Fouche, 23 Leighton Ekstee
Blues
Sam Prattley, James Parsons (c), Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Bekhuis, Jerome Kaino, Tanerau Latimer, Steven Luatua; Bryn Hall, Ihaia West, Tevita Li, Piers Francis, George Moala, Melani Nanai, Lolagi Visinia.
Replacements : Matt Moulds, Nic Mayhew, Charlie Faumuina, Hoani Matenga, Kara Pryor, Billy Guyton, Matt McGahan, Male Sa’u.
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