Ferreira leads Kings into battle

Ferreira is part of a 33-man interim squad that was scrambled together ahead of the team's opening match against the Boland Cavaliers at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday. 

The EP Kings' scheduled first round fixture against Griquas in Kimberley last Saturday was postponed.

The most high profile names in the squad include three players who featured for the Southern Kings this year - Schalk Ferreira, Cornel Hess and Martin Bezuidenhout - along with Mikey Willemse (from Western Province), Waylon Murray (Sharks), Barend Potgieter (Sharks), Christian du Bruin (Sharks), Kobus Marais (Bulls), Sampie Mastriet (Lions), Ricky Schroeder scrumhalf (Lions), Johan Tromp (Namibia) and Johan Greyling (Namibia).

Barend Pieterse, who was the Southern Kings' forwards coach during Super Rugby, will take over as head coach from Deon Davids.

Former Springbok Sevens player Vuyo Zangqa will be the team's backline coach after Mzwandile Stick rejoined the Springbok management team.

Meanwhile, Springbok and former Southern Kings player Luke Watson has retired from the game of rugby.

Watson has hardly featured on a rugby field in the last few seasons and was not offered a contract by SA Rugby to play for the Kings this year.

The 32-year-old has represented the Springboks on 10 occasions between 2007 and 2008.

EP Kings interim squad: Schalk Ferreira (captain), Justin Forwood, Caylib Oosthuizen, Barend Potgieter, Martin Bezuidenhout, Cullen Collopy, Mikey Willemse, Dolph Botha, Mzuvukile Sofisa, Tiny van Wyk, David Antoinites, Tazz Fuzani, Sebastian Ferreira, Cornell Hess, Henry Brandon Brown, Vincent Jobo, Christiaan de Bruin, Hendrik Grobbelaar, Jacques Fick, Ricky Schroeder, Pieter Steyn de Wet, Lungelo Goza, Kobus Marais, Sampie Mastriet, Minhele Mtwetwe, Burton Klaasen, Siphumelele Mstuwana, Waylon Murray, Johan Greyling, Alcino Izaacs, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Ganfried May, Johan Tromp.