The Southern Kings will be coached in next year’s Super Rugby tournament by former Crusaders hooker Matt Sexton.
New Zealander Matt Sexton will take up the position of Head Coach for both the Super Rugby and Currie Cup divisions of the Kings from July this year.
The appointment of thirdNew Zealandcoach means that South African Super Rugby teams will be 60% coached by New Zealanders unless the Lions are relegated.
New Zealander John Mitchell is currently the Lions coach and the Sharks are coached by John Plumtree who is also a New Zealander.
Metro Newspaper reports that Kiwi Sexton will take over the reins from current EP Kings Head Coach, Alan Solomons, who will become the Kings’ Director of Rugby.
EP Kings spokesperson, Sakhi Gqeba, confirmed that Sexton signed a two year contract, which relieves former Springbok prop Robbie Kempson of his dual coaching role, allowing Kempson to concentrate on the EP Academy.
Forty-one-year-old Sexton will be assisted by Brad Mooar who is also a New Zealander and he leave his currently position as head coach of the Canterbury U19’s to become the Kings Specialist Skills Coach.
Lions coach John Mitchell also has an assistant who hails fromNew Zealand.
Former Border wing David Maidza will be Sexton’s assistant, with former Springbok centre De Wet Barry remaining in his position as defence specialist.
Sexton who is currently Rugby Academy Manager of the Tasman inNew Zealandprovincial team Tasman played 128 games forCanterburyand also had a spell with Irish provinceUlsterwhen Solomons was coach.
Solomons said the union is happy with its decision.
“Matt is head and shoulders the right guy forEasternProvincerugby.”
“He is a good man and has the capability to land up coachingNew Zealand.
“I personally vouch for Matt Sexton as he possesses the exact character traits that we are looking for in EP Rugby – Integrity, Altruism and Professionalism,” Solomons told Port Elizabeth community news website MyPE .
The Southern Kings are a politically motivated team formed to develop rugby talent in the Eastern Cape Region ofSouth Africa.
The South African Rugby Union have guaranteed the Kings a place in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament but the Union have yet to reveal how this will be implemented as there are already 15 teams and expansion has been ruled out.
