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Kings to blood youngsters in Munster tie

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JC Astle (Gallo Images)
JC Astle (Gallo Images)

Port Elizabeth - Edmund Ludick will earn his Southern Kings and PRO14 debut with a starting berth while Luyolo Dapula will also make his first appearance off the bench when they take on Munster in a PRO14 Round 11 clash at the Irish Independent Park in Cork on Friday.

Kick-off is at 21:35 (SA time).

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The versatile 21-year-old Ludick replaces the injured Yaw Penxe at wing, with Dapula (also 21) providing loose forward cover from the bench.

It will also be a special occasion for one of the Southern Kings' longest serving players, Ruaan Lerm, who will run on for the 50th time in Kings colours.

JC Astle, who will resume his duties as captain this week, congratulated the trio on their imminent milestones.

"We obviously have a very special night tomorrow night with Lerries earning his 50th cap for the franchise, and also Eddie and Dapula making their debuts," said the captain.

"We are really excited for them as a squad, and we are excited to see them play and for us to play for them tomorrow."

Other changes in the starting XV will see Lusanda Badiyana and Bobby de Wee earning starts alongside Lerm as the loose trio. Badiyana will don the No 6 jersey while De Wee will start at blindside flank.

Erich Cronje shifts from having featured on the wing in the previous two matches against the Cheetahs to playing at inside centre, where he partners up with Sibusiso Sithole. Christopher Hollis returns to the starting XV at right wing.

The Southern Kings touring group has settled in well in Ireland since arriving on Tuesday and is looking forward to a close encounter against a strong Munster outfit.

“We were greeted by a bit of snow when we arrived in Cork on Tuesday, but it didn’t last long. Anyway, the boys are very excited for Friday night - our energies are high," said Astle.

"We'll be heading into tomorrow night with a lot of confidence and a desire to give it our best."

Teams:

Munster

15 Mike Haley, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Dan Goggin, 11 Shane Daly, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Neil Cronin, 8 Arno Botha, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Jack O’Donoghue, 5 Billy Holland (captain), 4 Fineen Wycherley, 3 John Ryan, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 James Cronin

Substitutes: 16  Kevin O’Byrne, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Keynan Knox, 19 Gavin Coombes, 20 Chris Cloete, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Ben Healy, 23 Rory Scannell

Kings

15 Andell Loubser, 14 Chris Hollis, 13 Sibusiso Sithole, 12 Erich Cronje, 11 Eddie Ludick, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9  Stefan Ungerer, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Bobby de Wee, 6 Lusanda Badiyana, 5 JC Astle (captain), 4 Jerry Sexton, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Schalk Ferreira

Substitutes: 16 Alandre van Rooyen, 17 Xandre Vos, 18 Ignatius Prinsloo, 19 Aston Fortuin, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Luyolo Dapula, 22 Josh Allderman, 23 Courtney Winnaar

- Southern Kings

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