Preview: Currie Cup, Round Four
The Sharks head for their perennial bogey engagement in Bloemfontein on Friday, but the clash between the Griquas and Lions could prove to be the highlight of the weekend.
The Sharks head for their perennial bogey engagement in Bloemfontein on Friday, but the top-of-the table clash between the Griquas and Lions could prove to be the highlight of the Currie Cup weekend.
The only unbeaten team left in the competition, everyone's talking about the Griquas. If the team from Kimberly can avoid being handed a bonus-point hiding in Jo' burg, they'll extend their run at the top of the standings to five weeks. Needless to say they'll be out to do more than just avoid defeat and a fourth consecutive win is more than possible.
If you looked at the fixtures schedule at the start of the season, you would have picked the defending champions' visit to the Free State as the game of the weekend. Sharks fans need no reminding of the fact that their Super 14 campaign was derailed in Bloemfontein not long ago, and the winless Cheetahs need a result to kick-start their season. Ryan Kankowski is back in black and white to add to the intrigue.
Elsewhere, Western Province will be looking to pick up a full house of points against the Leopards at Newlands while in Pretoria the Blue Bulls should be too strong for the Boland Kavaliers.
Fixtures:
Friday, July 31
Lions v Griquas
Western Province v Leopards
Blue Bulls v Boland Kavaliers
Free State Cheetahs v Sharks
Standings:
1 Griquas 15
2 Lions 103 Sharks 9 4 Blue Bulls 9
5 Western Province 8 6 Boland Kavaliers 4
7 Cheetahs 1 8 Leopards 0
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Previews:
Lions v Griquas
Coca-Cola Park Stadium, Johannesburg
First visits second in the City of Gold in the first of four fixtures on Friday. As mentioned above the Griquas have been the season's pace setters with three bonus-point wins from three starts.
To be fair, the Kimberly side haven't played any of the real big guns so far and a road trip to the Lions will constitute their toughest assignment yet. They showed they can win on the road against the Cheetahs, so the Lions are in a for a real battle.
The hosts have only lost once themselves (to the Blue Bulls) but have had a setback or two this week that could hamper their preparations.
Both teams will be in buoyant mood following their comprehensive victories last weekend. The Griquas outclassed Boland by 73 points in Kimberley, while an under-strength Lions team also easily defeated the Leopards 40-19 in Rustenburg.
The Lions have had to make to two changes to the team they initially named on Tuesday. After resting a couple of key players last week, coach Hans Coetzee had planned to field his strongest side, but scrum-half Jano Vermaak has been forced to pull out with a lingering concussion and centre Walter Venter is ill.
Vermaak has be replaced in the starting XV by Chris Jonck, while Rouan Cloete steps in for Venter. The double blows gives Freddie van Zyl and Rouan Boshoff a chance to get on the bench.
Otherwise the team is the same as the one that beat the Free State Cheetahs two weeks ago, meaning Earl Rose starts at full-back and Herkie Kruger wears number ten. USA captain Todd Clever is a notable absentee.
“We are still not anywhere near our expected standards,” said Coetzee this week.
“We are certainly happy with the progress we are making as a team, but we are letting too many scoring opportunities slip through. We are going to have to work on our finishing this week. Griquas come off a fantastic win last weekend…So we will have to be at our best in order to get a good result this weekend.”
Griquas coach Dawie Theron has stuck with his winning formula, but has been forced to make one change to his starting XV.
Jaco Bekker will start at outside centre in place of the injured Wilmaure Louw to partner Barry Geel in midfield. The only other change to the matchday 22 sees Heinrich Stride come onto the bench for Nolan Clarke.
There has been more good news for the Griquas this week as scrum-half Sarel Pretorius – one of the stars of their season so far – has turned down a number of offers, including one from New Zealand province Taranaki, and has pledge his loyalty to the team from Kimberly.
“I spoke to my agent and will remain with Griquas,” Pretorius told the Volksblad newspaper.
Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Alwyn Hollenbach, 12 Rouan Cloete, 11 Johan Jackson, 10 Herkie Kruger, 9 Chris Jonck, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Willem Stoltz, 4 Nico Luus, 3 Gert Muller, 2 Hans van Dyk, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Derek Harwood, 17 Kevin Buys, 18 John Snyman, 19 Derick Minnie, 20 Freddie van Zyl, 21 Rouan Boshoff, 22 Henno Mentz.
Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Dewald Pretorius, 13 Jaco Bekker, 12 Barry Geel, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Rohan Kitshoff, 5 Jacques Lombaard, 4 Brendon Snyman, 3 Ruaan du Preez, 2 Rayno Barnes, 1 Albertus Buckle.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Steph Roberts, 18 Heinrich Stride, 19 Sean Plaatjies, 20 Dougie Hellmuth, 21 Hanno Coetzee, 22 Egon Seconds/Gavin Passens.
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
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Western Province v Leopards
Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Western Province are at home for the third time this season and will be looking to climb up the table against the winless Leopards.
The visitors are yet to secure a single competition point after three fixtures and face a tough task against a WP side strengthened by the return of a couple of first-choice players.
Full-back Joe Pietersen returns to Currie Cup action after an injury-enforced lay-off and will replace Gio Aplon in the WP number fifteen jersey. Aplon will run out on the left wing in the place of Sireli Naqelevuki, who is battling with a knee injury.
Province coach Allister Coetzee has made three changes in the pack and lock Hilton Lobberts will enjoy a rare start. He comes in for New Zealander Chris Jack, who gets a rest on the bench after making a massive impact so far this season.
Flanker Duane Vermeulen returns from injury, relegating in-form Pieter Louw to the bench. In the front row, Wicus Blaauw makes way for JD Moller in a rotation move.
Elsewhere on the bench, former Springbok scrum-half Bolla Conradie finally returns to the spotlight. His good form at club level has been rewarded with a place amongst the replacements.
In the visitors' camp, outside centre Berndt Theissinger will make his Currie Cup debut for the Leopards replacing Japie Nel, who was red-carded against the Lions.
Theissinger's inclusion is the only change to the starting XV that lost against the Lions.
Former Wildebeest and Valke