Griquas keep Currie Cup starting team for Cheetahs

Griquas coach Hawies Fourie has retained his starting line up for their Currie Cup match against the Free State Cheetahs in Kimberley on Saturday.

The hosts have yet to win a game in this year’s competition and will want to claim their first victory against a visiting side that has only one victory to its name.

Enjoying most of the possession against the Pumas in Nelspruit last weekend, Fourie’s side came off second best against a side which made better use of their opportunities.

Fourie said his side did not execute well as a unit and a lacklustre performance did not warrant axeing some of his stalwarts.

“No single individual played badly against the Pumas. It was more a poor effort by the entire side than one or two players. We didn’t use the chances presented to us and in the end paid the price,” he said.

“Going around dropping players from the side isn’t going to help our cause.”

Fourie said preparations this week had been positive and the team’s outlook was still one where they wanted to play in the semi-finals rather than just survive the cut.

“We want to progress to the knockout stages and not just play well to make sure we don’t play in next year’s qualifiers. If we are to keep that dream alive we need to beat the Cheetahs.

“This week we looked at our lineouts, something that was very poor against the Pumas. The Cheetahs have a good lineout and use it as an attacking platform. We have to be mindful of that.”

The only changes to the side saw prop Janro van Niekerk, flanker Burger Schoeman and winger Rocco Jansen come in among the replacements. They replace the injured Maks van Dyk, RJ Liebenberg and Niel Marais, respectively.

Griquas

Francois Brummer, Ederies Arendse, Jonathan Francke, Wayne Stevens (captain), PJ Vermeulen, Dean Grant, Tian Meyer, Carel Greeff, Ruan Lerm, Marnus Schoeman, Jaco Nepgen, Jonathan Adendorf, Ewald van der Westhuizen, Martin Bezuidenhout, Steph Roberts.

Replacements: Ryno Barnes, Janro van Niekerk, Hugo Kloppers, Burger Schoeman, Abrie Griesel, Doppies la Grange, Rocco Jansen.