Currie Cup: Griquas prepare for Shark attack
TAFEL Lager Griquas will play their opening round fixture in the 2021 Carling Currie Cup against a strong Cell C Sharks outfit at Tafel Lager Park on Saturday kicking off at 1.30pm.
Speaking to the DFA on Thursday, Griqua coach Scott Mathie said that the team was aware of the huge challenge ahead. “We are excited to kick off our Currie Cup campaign at home against the Sharks.
“We obviously know it’s going to be a tough game, they are coming off a rainbow cup competition where they have played six obviously very competitive games and they have a lot of squad depth even with their Springboks out.
“We will be welcoming a very strong Sharks team in Kimberley on Saturday,” Mathie added.
Griquas will, however, be taking some form into the clash having played extremely well in the Preparation Series earlier in the year. The Kimberley team some of their matches very closely, even against the bigger unions, and they did manage to win two, against EP Elephants, which they won handsomely 43-0 and they beat a powerful Pumas side 23-22 in a tough but close contest.
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Griquas’ downfall in the preparation series was their discipline and hopefully they have learned their lesson and this will not be the case in the Currie Cup.
Mathie said that despite the strength of the KZN team, he expected Griquas to compete well. “ It’s going to be a really strong (Sharks) team and a competitive match. We have had a good pre-season. We have a couple of injuries that we are dealing with from the pre-season; just gives other guys opportunities to step up and be counted.
One day to go! Tafel Lager Griquas take on the @TheSharksZA in Kimberley in the first round of the Currie Cup. #TafelLager #SixGunGrill #Nashua #Barzani #Klipdrift #OFM #Twizza #TsogoSun #Horseshoe #Chanbe #Vermeulens #OxygenBuddy #BananaskinZ #LeukoSport #TKSportsSA #NCTourism pic.twitter.com/COK6ynSixE
— Griquas Rugby (@GriquasRugby) June 18, 2021
Seven teams will be contesting this year’s Currie Cup, on a home and away basis, with each team playing each other twice. And Griquas will be under new leadership on the field.
“We are really looking forward to kicking off our campaign,” Mathie said. “Ruan Steenkamp, the former Junior Springbok flanker and former Bulls captain, has been announced as our captain for the season,” he added.
“He has done a sterling job in that leadership role over the last couple of games, we wish him all the best for that.”
Griquas (15-1): Mox Banda, Daniel Kasende, Ederies Arendse, André Swarts, George Whitehead, Stefan Ungerer, Ruan Steenkamp (c), Sibabalo Qoma, Gideon van der Merwe, Cameron Lindsay, Mzwanele Zito, Andreis Schutte, Janco Uys, Andrew Beerwinkel. Bench (16-26): Tiaan van der Merwe, Andrew Kuhn, Edwald van der Westhuizen, Jeandré Leonard, Hanru Sirgel, Reagan Oranje, Theo Boshoff, Chris Holila, Tijde Visser, Ashlon Davids and Enver Brandt.