The opening match of the 2023 Currie Cup will see last year’s finalists, the Windhoek Draught Griquas, take on the Toyota Cheetahs in what promises to be an exciting encounter in Kimberley.
THE WAIT is finally over for rugby fans in Kimberley as the 2023 Currie Cup kicks off on Friday at Windhoek Draught Park.
The opening match will see last year’s finalists, the Windhoek Draught Griquas, take on the Toyota Cheetahs in what promises to be an exciting encounter.
The local crowds in Kimberley are particularly hungry for rugby after the recent good performances of the Griquas in warm-up games against the Cell C Sharks and the Griffons. Griquas managed to secure a convincing win against the Sharks, and they will be looking to continue their winning ways in front of their home crowd.
The Cheetahs, on the other hand, will be keen to spoil the party for the hosts and start their own Currie Cup campaign on a winning note. The two teams have a long-standing rivalry, and it is therefore certain to be a fiercely contested match.
Griquas fortress, Windhoek Draught Park, is expected to be packed to the rafters as fans from both sides turn up to cheer their teams on. The Currie Cup is one of the most prestigious rugby competitions in the world, and fans can no doubt expect to see some top-class rugby on display.
And for the record, Griquas are ready, having started their training back in August last year. Now, in March 2023, they will be applying what they have learned on the big stage in their first competitive game for the year.
A number of new players will be making their Currie Cup debut in the season opener, and they will be hoping to prove to Griquas coach Pieter Bergh that he made the right choices for this game.
Coach Bergh said that he is very excited to see Lubabalo Dobela make his Currie Cup debut in the No.10 jersey on Friday.
“I have been following his career from when he played for Shimlas, the Cheetahs, and (in) the Vodacom Cup. I’ve always liked his attacking ability, but more importantly, his speed as a No.10.
“It’s a position in South Africa where we don’t always have the quickest flyhalves, but with him, we now have one of the quickest backs. This will give us another dynamic in our attack – a flyhalf with exceptional speed and attacking ability. He can pass both ways very well, and his defensive game is as good as his attack,” said Bergh.
The coach said that they also have a few more players making their Currie Cup debuts. Albert Liebenberg, Janco Venter, Lubabalo Dobela, and Junior Banda will be playing in the Currie Cup for the first time, while players like Stephan Smith, Rosko Specman, Cebo Dlamini, Bobby Alexander, and Malcolm Jaer will be making their debut in the Currie Cup in the peacock blue colours.
According to Bergh, the team has won the last four friendly matches they played and will be going into the Currie Cup with some momentum.
“We beat Namibia last year, then we beat the SWD, Cell C Sharks, and the Griffons in preparation for the Currie Cup. We have good momentum and confidence going into this game, and the players are excited. They cannot wait to get started.
“We know how difficult the Cheetahs can be, and we know they are still hurting from their 46-18 loss in the Currie Cup last year, so we do expect them to pitch up and make a statement,” Bergh said.
Bergh further stated that they feel that they are very well prepared and that they are also lucky to only have two injuries. Speaking about the injuries, Bergh said that Hanru Sirgel should be back in a week or two to be ready for the Sharks. He also said that not having any serious injuries going deeper into the Currie Cup will help a lot going forward.
“This will be a very tough and difficult Currie Cup season for the Griquas. We are playing 14 matches in 14 weeks. Last year, we played 12 matches in 22 weeks. We don’t have the luxury this year of taking a week off here and there; we will play week after week, so if we go to the finals, it will be 16 matches in 16 weeks.
“We have quality depth in our team, so when injuries do occur, we can rely on the next player to fill that gap without losing any quality of play,” Bergh concluded.
So there it is. The 2023 Currie Cup season promises to be an exciting one, with all the teams eager to get off to a winning start. The Griquas will be hoping to build on their recent good form, while the Free State Cheetahs will be looking to make a statement in their opening match and spoil their host’s party.
Griquas Team (15-1): Jay-Cee Nel, Rosko Specman (Griquas Currie Cup debut), Sango Xamlashe, Zander du Plessis, Luther Obi, Lubabalo Dobela (Currie Cup debut), Johan Mulder, Janco Venter (Currie Cup debut), Stephan Smit (Griquas Currie Cup debut), Niel Otto (captain), Derik Pretorius, Albert Liebenberg (Currie Cup debut), Janu Botha, Janco Uys, Kudzwai Dube. Bench (16-23): Gustav de Rand, Cebo Dlamini (Griquas Currie Cup debut), Junior Banda (Currie Cup debut), Johan Retief, Carl Els, Bobby Alexander (Griquas Currie Cup debut), George Whitehead, Malcolm Jaer (Griquas Currie Cup debut)
This weekend’s Currie Cup Fixtures
Friday, March 10
Kimberley (4pm): Windhoek Draught Griquas vs Toyota Cheetahs
Saturday, March 11
Durban (1.30pm): Cell C Sharks vs NovaVit Griffons
Johannesburg (3.30pm): Fidelity ADT Lions vs DHL Western Province
Sunday, March 12
Pretoria (1pm): Vodacom Bulls vs Airlink Pumas
