Laught at the Kings loan system all you want, it works

Whenever the Kings’ reliance on loan players gets mentioned, some rugby folk snicker.

Good riddance, shameless politicking, useless and sad are just some of the phrases one invariably hears about the matter.

But you don’t hear a guy like Victor Sekekete complaining.

During the Lions’ pre-season for Super Rugby, then coach Johan Ackermann was empahtic during a media conference.

“We have a lot of guys knocking on the door,” he said.

“There are guys like Victor who’ve picked up experience at the lower levels and are ready to make the step up.”

It sounded good.

Sekekete is still waiting to make his Super Rugby debut.

At 23, the Johannesburg-born flanker is at a difficult age.

In South African rugby it’s a neither-here-nor-there time in some players’ career.

Unless you’ve had a few senior games behind your name, you’re pretty much stuck.

You don’t have age-group rugby – notably Under-21 level – to fall back on and you’re up against others – probably younger – who’ve made their mark.

Sekekete is a prime example.

The Kings begin their European adventure in the Pro14 competition next week and some are rightfully cautious over their prospects.

But you can’t deny the track record of head coach Deon Davids creating better opportunities for his players.

Malcolm Jaer, Makazole Mapimpi (both Cheetahs), Tyler Paul, Lukhyano Am (both Sharks) and Mikey Willemse (Lions) attest to that.

“We have identified a large group of players and we have communicated, through our office, to the different unions regarding the players we would like to be here,” said Davids.

“This is a squad that excites me. We are now working hard at ensuring that we gel as a team and build a good team culture as soon as possible.”

Naysayers dismissing this as spin would do well to just give these men a chance.

In Sekekete’s case, the Kings haven’t just randomly plucked a black flanker out of thin air.

This is a man who was a Junior Springbok, a stalwart for the University of Johannesburg in the Varsity Cup and played regularly for the Lions at provincial level.

South African rugby doesn’t know what he’s capable of yet because the poor guy never played enough in Johannesburg.

The loan system may reflect badly on the Kings’ own ability to recruit but it does the broader game a favour.

After all, we won’t know if Sekekete – and various others – are good enough without it.

Kings squad: Alandre van Rooyen, Alshaun Bock, Andisa Ntsila, Berton Klaasen, Bobby de Wee, CJ Velleman, Dries van Schalkwyk, Eital Bredenkamp, Freddy Ngoza, Godlen Masimla, Jacques Nel, Jarryd Sage, Jurie van Vuuren, Justin Forwood, Khaya Majola, Kurt Coleman, Lindo Welemu, Giant Mtyanda, Lusanda Badiyana, Luzuko Vulindlu, Martin Dreyer, Coyi Banda, Michael Makase, Njabulo Gumede, Ntabeni Dukisa, Oliver Zono, Pieter Scholtz, Pieter-Steyn de Wet, Rossouw de Klerk, Ruaan Lerm, Poerie van Rooyen, S’bura Sithole, Schalk Ferreira, Siya Mdaka, Stephan Coetzee, Stephan Greeff, Tango Balekile. Tienie Burger, Victor Sekekete, Yaw Penxe.

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