This game is the third match in the series that Griquas will host at the Tafel Lager Park home. The last one they hosted against the Bulls will certainly rankle as the Pretoria machine made short shrift of the local side.
TAFEL Lager Griquas have tinkered slightly with the backbone of the team that will face off against the Sigma Lions in their Carling Currie Cup encounter on Wednesday evening in Kimberley.
Griquas head coach Pieter Bergh has seemingly decided on a different tack for his team’s attack as well as the defence against the Lions, opting to rest three team members who did duty a fortnight ago against the all conquering Vodacom Bulls who trounced them 53-27 here at home.
Bergh opted to rest the dependable Janco Uys and settled for the hardened Simon Westraadt who, coincidentally, had previously reeled in over 50 caps at Griquas before leaving for a short spell at Russian club Enisei-STM. Westraadt for Uys is a natural swap for the hooker berth.
💥 Tafel Lager Griquas vs. Sigma Lions !
💪 16 March 2022 – 15:30
📍 Tafel Lager Park, Kimberley
🎫 Tickets on sale at all Computicket Outlets and at the gates#TafelLagerGriquas #TheChampionWithin #CurrieCup pic.twitter.com/VZ0IGPJs3O— Griquas Rugby (@GriquasRugby) March 15, 2022
Other than that the rest of the Griquas front row is retained intact with Eddie Daniels at loosehead prop and Janu Botha, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, number three. Just behind them, Mzwandile Zinto and Derrik Pretorius bring up the second row.
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The other significant change is at No.9 where Johan Mulder swaps with Stefan Ungerer who is a kind of rest for this match, with him being kept at the ready on the bench. At the back Sango Xamlashe comes on for Christoffer Hollis who will sit out this encounter.
This game is the third match in the series that Griquas will host at the Tafel Lager Park home. The last one they hosted against the Bulls will certainly rankle as the Pretoria machine made short shrift of the local side thrashing them by that huge scoreline.
However, there was a small consolation for Griquas in that they earned their first ever bonus point this season for darting over the chalk line more than four times in a game.
The Lions are more or less of the same pedigree as the Bulls even though they have the distinction of being bottom dwellers of late of the domestic league table. However, they have been competing in the United Rugby Championship series.
The Lions, on Sunday bagged just their third victory of that competition as they ran out 37-20 victors against Cardiff at Ellis Park, and will be hoping to keep that winning momentum going with their Currie Cup outfit.
Griquas might just fancy their chances against these travellers. After all, an improvement in their mid-table stand will not hurt.
Tafel Lager Griquas XV (15-1): Rynhardt Jonker, Munier Hartzenberg, Sango Xamlashe, Zander du Plessis, Luther Obi, Theo Boshoff, Johan Mulder, Siba Qoma, Hanru Sirgel, Niel Otto, Derik Pretorius, Mzwandile Zito, Janu Botha, Simon Westraadt, Eddie Davids. Bench (16-23): Janco Uys, Kudzwai Dube, Andries Schutte, Luyolo Dapula, Michael Amiras, Stefan Ungerer, Ashlon Davids, Prince Nkabinde
Team Announcement !
Injured:
Andrew Beerwinkel
Jay-Cee Nel
Carl Els
George Whitehead
Ruan Steenkamp pic.twitter.com/hZCeFQQQxP— Griquas Rugby (@GriquasRugby) March 14, 2022
