Kings make 'strategic' changes

The hapless Kings, fresh from a 73-27 hammering at the hands of the Jaguares last week, face the Blues in Port Elizabeth in a Round 11 match on Saturday.

The injury-enforced change will see Sithembiso Sithole come in at prop for Schalk Ferreira, who will miss the clash because of a hand injury sustained in the heavy loss against the Argentinean franchise.

Although scans revealed that it was not a fracture, he will remain sidelined for this week.

Davids described the other two changes to the starting XV as "strategic".

James Hall starts at scrumhalf ahead of Ntando Kebe and Jurgen will feature at fullback in place of Jaco van Tonder.

"On Saturday it will be windy and rainy, so we opted to swap James [Hall] around with Ntando Kebe for tactical reasons," Davids said.

Meanwhile, lock Schalk Oelofse - having recovered from the bout of concussion that sidelined him last week - returns on the bench.

The Kings are currently sitting at the bottom of Africa Conference Two after winning just one of the seven games so far this season.

After their encounter with the Blues, the Kings will play the Cheetahs and Sharks (both away) and then Jaguares at home before Super Rugby takes a break for the June international window.

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 Eksteen.

Date: Saturday, May 7

Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Kick-off: 17.10 (15.10 GMT; 03.05, Sunday May 8, NZ time)

Referee: Federico Anselmi

Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge, Archie Sehlako

TMO: Christie du Preez