Griffons unchanged for Currie Cup 1st div final

The Griffons, who haven’t been on the losing side since Kennedy Tsimba made his run-on debut for them midway through the season, have named an unchanged team to meet the Leopards in the Absa First Division rugby final in Potchefstroom on Friday night.

The Griffons are aiming for the seventh consecutive victory in the competition since Tsimba was selected against the Pumas in August.

The 34-year old veteran, who has represented the Blue Bulls, Cheetahs, Cats and Pumas, didn’t kick at goal in that first match against the Pumas, with Jacques-Louis Potgieter playing at inside centre.

Effectively it means Tsimba has rattled up 104 points in only five starts for the Griffons at an average of more than 20 per match – not bad for an “over the hill” flyhalf, not wanted by the Pumas earlier this season.

Tsimba’s century includes four tries and he is second only to the league’s top scorer, Leopards flyhalf Clayton Durand, who has scored 165 points in the competition to date.

The former Zimbabwean pivot has already been appointed as the Cheetah’s technical advisor for next season’s Super 14 and it isn’t clear whether he’ll again be available to the Griffons for the Currie Cup, should they advance to the Premier league.

Griffons:

Cecil Afrika: Darryl Coeries, Jacko Jackson, Werner Griesel, Howard Noble; Kennedy Tsimba, Danny Theron; Ashley Johnson, Francois Uys, Albert Parsons, Windpomp van Rooyen, Ockie van Zyl, Gert Greyling, Andries Kruger, Sarel Louw (capt).

Replacements: KleinJan Ferreira, Jaco Louw, Isak van der Westhuizen, Jonothan Mokuena, Shaun Botha, Hugo Kleynhans, Shane Hancke.

Sapa – CurrieCupRugby.com