This time of year Port Elizabeth's weather can best be described as bi-polar.
An icy cold wind greeted my uncovered arms as I got off the plane from Cape Town on Thursday morning, only for the sun to liven up the surroundings when I left the terminal building.
A big storm hit the Eastern Cape's biggest city later that night. The locals rejoiced, because the coastal areas are experiencing a bit of a drought at the moment. But, true to form, the sun came out on Friday morning, only for it to disappear again behind a thick cloud.
The Southern Kings trained with the sun on their backs on Friday morning in preparation for their Super Rugby clash against the Sharks at the beautiful Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. But soon the sun hid behind that thick, dark cloud -- possibly a metaphor for the situation the Kings find themselves in at the moment.
The Kings' participation in Super Rugby is in jeopardy following Sanzaar's decision to cut the number of participating teams from 18 to 15. Two South African teams will be cut, with the Kings and the Cheetahs the likely victims.
But speaking to some of the team's officials in Port Elizabeth, one doesn't get the feeling that the franchise's livelihood is hanging in the balance. What you do sense, though, is that this sword having over their heads, this threatening dark cloud, has actually galvanised the team. They want to show that they actually belong.
There results over the last month following the revelations are testament that this team doesn't want to be left out in the cold (or the rain).
The Kings came from behind to beat the Waratahs in their last tour match in Australia, before hammering the Rebels -- the Australian team also facing the possible axe -- 44-3 in their previous fixture. Before those wins the Kings also gave the Reds a proper run for their money.
In fact, the team is on such a high that the moment that the mayor of Port Elizabeth had a special flag-raising ceremony for the team, while they are also running a "#FillUpTheStadium" campaign ahead of the match against the Sharks.
Coach Deon Davids says he hasn't felt like there has been an increase in intensity after the Sanzaar announcement. But he isn't surprised that his charges have come out firing over the last month.
"It was never something that I could pick up within the team environment. But the possibility of not being in the competition next year has obviously been there in the back of our minds," Davids told KweséESPN.
"But we have spoken about it, and the discussion that we had was that we are going to control the controllables and we are going to focus on what we can do well. If we can do that, the rest will take care of itself."
The Eastern Cape is the cradle of black rugby, undoubtedly so. Black people have played rugby in this region for more than a century. But the Eastern Cape hasn't been well managed by the SA Rugby and the people who ran rugby in this region.
Siya Kolisi, the Ndungane brothers, Akona and Odwa, various Sevens players and other stars have their roots in the Eastern Cape. But they have had to look elsewhere to make a living.
But this season there have been a number of locally born players that have shone -- black and white. Players such as fullback Maxisole Banda and wing Makazole Mapimpi are starting to make a name for themselves, while journeyman flyhalf Lionel Cronje is probably playing the best rugby of his career.
Mampimpi, for instance, has played over 50 Currie Cup games for the Border Bulldogs, but hasn't been noticed until now. Davids feels like they have only scratched the surface of the region's potential.
"We are busy showing what the region can produce. If you look at the compilation of the team, they are mostly local boys and guys who haven't played at this level. A lot of them have put up their hands and can play at any top franchise," Davids said.
"That is the type of statement we wanted to make."
Davids is adamant that the Kings can play a massive role in the development of black players, especially as SA Rugby wants the Springboks to have 50% black representation at the 2019 World Cup.
"There are a lot of rural communities here and rugby is a vehicle for someone to get a professional career and to become a better person. There are a lot of examples of guys who have come from nothing and are starring in Super Rugby," Davids said.
"As long as there is a dream, there is hope. And if there is hope, it can be channelled into something great. It could be excellent for South African rugby."
It's still quite cold in Port Elizabeth, but the Kings are warming up the hearts of a lot of people at the moment. However, that dark cloud is still overshadowing their glow.