The Currie Cup action starts tonight as the Lions host a Griquas outfit that has failed to impress so far this season. The Lions will look to continue a pretty good run and stretch the lead at the top of the log before the other teams play tomorrow.
The Lions welcome back to the starting line-up both Doppies la Grange and Joshua Strauss, while the flanker will take the captaincy for the time being from Doppies. The team has been riding the good run of form produced by Elton Jantjies, playing real enterprising rugby and scoring some lovely tries.
Griquas have lost Riaan Viljoen for this weekend’s clash as a result of his wife giving birth, but Earl Rose returns to fitness to take his spot in the line-up. They are still without Jean Stemmet and Barry Geel, and will have to make due with a reasonably young midfield combination.
The match kicks off at 19h05 at Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg.
Lions: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Doppies la Grange, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Joshua Strauss (capt), 7 Derrick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg
Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Johan Snyman, 19 Michael Rhodes, 20 Warren Whitely, 21 Burton Francis, 22 James Kamana
Griquas: 15 Rudi Vogt, 14 Rocco Jansen, 13 Wilmaure Louw, 12 Hanno Coetzee, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokoena (capt), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Ivann Espag
Substitutes: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Steph Roberts, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Leon Karemaker, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Matthew Rosslee, 22 Monty Dumond
Lions to win this by about 15
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) :
I’m thinking a bit more actually!
Lions are going to murder them.
The unstoppable juggernaut that is the Lions to continue their march to the summit of the Currie Cup.
Go Griekwas!
Lions smashed the Griquas in Kimberley, let’s see if the Griquas can return the favour!
@Ben (Comment 6) :
“The Currie Cup action starts tonight as the Lions host a Griquas outfit that has failed to impress so far this season.”
Maybe it was just me, but I was impressed when they drew with Province and thumped the Sharks.
I have Lions with 13…
@Dancing Bear (Comment 8) :
not impressed when they thumped the sharks 
Moment of silence for Derrick Minni’s father
Scrum on midfield after Elton kicksoff short
Knock by Griquas, knock by Lions and we’re back where we started.. Grieks scrum midfield
Ok so its a replay… Knock Griquas
Good play by lions, Scrum 5meters from Griquas line
Brake away by SP bring Grieks to Lions line…
First Penalty… No daylight
Vogt PK missed
Lions 0 – 0 Griquas
7min
@Franshark (Comment 10) : I was not impressed with the Sharks when they got thumped, but I was impressed with the Griquas, they deserved the win. That doesn’t mean I support the Sharks any less, nor wish for Griquas to ever beat the Sharks again. Impressed with and support, two different things.
Lions take the ball thru the fases but gets penalized for holding on
Rose tackling like a girl.
Griquas returns the favor
@Dancing Bear (Comment 19) : I can also be impressed with the Griquas and unhappy with the Sharks loss.
@McLovin (Comment 21) : You had other expectations?
2nd penalty, this one kickable
Elton PK
Lions 3 – 0 Griquas
12min
@Dancing Bear (Comment 24) : Ooooops, right, tackling like a girl is a vast improvement on the past…..when Earl the Pearl just stepped out of the way and bowed as the runner ran through his channel.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 23) :
@Dancing Bear (Comment 24) : With all that padding he’s wearing you’d think he’d make more of an effort.
Yellow for Rose
@McLovin (Comment 29) : He wears shoulder pads for the same reason they put shoulder pads in suitcoats, it makes it look like he has shoulders!
Bit harsh that yellow imo.
@Franshark (Comment 30) : For what? Did he step on the refs toe trying to get out of the way of the ball carrier?
Lions going for line out
Van Renburg try
@Dancing Bear (Comment 33) : sorry, for sleeping on the job, on the lions side of a rugg
@Franshark (Comment 36) : Brave man that Earl, sleeping in the lion’s den!
Elton missed convertion
Lions 8 – 0 Griquas
17min
@Dancing Bear (Comment 33) :
@Ben (Comment 39) : Howzit Ben, on a bit of a Rose roll right now.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 37) : now he can sleep for 10m on the side line
@Dancing Bear (Comment 40) : I’m splendid thank you and yourself uncle?
@Franshark (Comment 41) : Have you noticed a distinct improvement in the defense since his sinbinning?
Great run from Taute bring the lions to over the Griquas line again… Griquas now being warned..
@Ben (Comment 42) : Working on my sense of humour. Cellar of my house is flooding and I have no electrical power to run the sump pump.
Also working on getting a generator some time today. We have had over foot of rain since Monday on top of the 7 inches from Irene.
Lions on fire.
I have been very impressed with Taute since last year’s CC. I really thought he would own the Lion’s 15 jersey this year, surprised he has not started every match he is healthy.
Pat scores… Ok they gonna check the grounding first
Might as well give them the cup now.
Try
Elton converts
Lions 15 – 0 Griquas
23min
@Dancing Bear (Comment 45) :
shit man! Seriously your luck is bound to change!
Kilian Try
SP left for dead by Killians side-stepping
@McLovin (Comment 49) : That’s what I said about the Crusaders after they thumped the Sharks!
@McLovin (Comment 49) :
If that was the case, the Sharks would have won 3 CCs in a row now.
Elton missed convertion
Lions 20 – 0 Griquas
25min
@Ben (Comment 52) :
I keep hearing that, I’m just not counting on it right now. Nothing more to do but keep laughing at this point.
I think Job was a pretty unlucky guy too.
Griquas chasing the game a bid but going for the 3 points
Vogt PK
Lions 20 – 3 Griquas
29min
Doppies drops the ball after he is over the line…
And the Rose is back in the garden…
@Dancing Bear (Comment 58) : Good for you. Laughter is the best medicine for anything!
Jeez, but the Kwasse’s defence is poor.
@Franshark (Comment 63) : A Rose by any other name…….
Still has thorns!
@Ben (Comment 64) : That it is Ben, that it is.
Good play by Griquas to get themselfs from their try-line
@Dancing Bear (Comment 66) :
Frustrated Griquas bench looks on as Rose passes forward
@Franshark (Comment 69) : I should stop with all the Rose hate speech, when I played rugby, I was too slow to catch the okes I could tackle, and too small to tackle the okes I could catch!
Vogt PK, for playing (with) the half back
Lions 20 – 6 Griquas
36min
@Dancing Bear (Comment 67) : That will be $600 please..
@Dancing Bear (Comment 71) :
He played not too bad the last few weeks, not so bright tonight
@Ben (Comment 73) : I honestly hope you accept my health insurance Dr. Ben!
@Franshark (Comment 74) : Honestly if it were not for his father acting as his agent and saying all the outrageous things he did about his sons, Earl would be a very competent 10 playing for one of the smaller unions on a regular basis. He will never be more than that, but a vast majority of us will never be professional rugby players either.
Lions 20 – 6 Griquas
HALF TIME
@Dancing Bear (Comment 76) : His father built him up to a level he could never ever achieve, he had nowhere to go but a big fall.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 71) :
When I was 19 I played club rugby for Impala. I were a winger back then. 1.85m and about 70kg’s. The Pukke came to play us and we were short on locks. Being the brave person I am I offered to play lock for the 1st time in my life! Man I kakked af in those scrums! Plus I were wearing blades and those don’t work so well in a scrum! 
ah I have my PC back.
@Ben (Comment 79) :
I played lock in one match in my life, must have been an incredibly funny thing to see since I am so short. I know my lock partner could not stop laughing every time we bound for a scrum. It was interesting playing a match with only one lineout option. And with all that I even scored a try in the match…..on a three man overlap because I was lazily hanging around on the wing, even dotted it down under the posts. 
@Dancing Bear (Comment 76) : when he started with his professional career I liked his play.. He then started with all these funny stuff on the field an made himself look foolish and the target of joke of the day… Downhill from there…
@Dancing Bear (Comment 75) : Health insurance doesn’t cover Dr Phil bills. Sorry!
@Franshark (Comment 82) : I have always thought he had sublime skills offensively. His defensive skills have always been lacking in my opinion, which is why he will never be more than a competent 10 for a small union. His defensive frailties are far to evident in SupeRugby, and always have been.
@Ben (Comment 83) : Do you have a television show?
In which case, guests don’t pay, the sponsors pay! 
@Dancing Bear (Comment 81) : I also have short arms, so I’m sure I was pinching the prop’s nuts with my bind.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 81) : I was thin as chopstick @ school, played(tried) on wing..
Was moved too hooker in one game but still think it was cuase my mates wanted to sort me out themselfs
2nd half starting
@Franshark (Comment 87) : I was put at Hooker in the 3rd match I ever played, stayed there until the very end of my career where I dallied at prop, mostly tighthead. Dad was a Hooker too….family thing, maybe even hereditary!
Griquas scrum, lions 22
@Dancing Bear (Comment 89) : almost sounds like a JS story
Lions runs thr full lenght of the field to give van Rensburg his 2nd try
@Franshark (Comment 91) : Nah, Smittie played prop in high school, I never did. Other than that, my story is nothing like his, the greatest captain in international rugby and little old me, very little in common.
Elton converts
Lions 27 – 6 Griquas
44min
@Franshark (Comment 91) : Besides, the only reason they moved me to prop was because my old eyes were getting so I could not see my jumpers in the lineouts anymore!
@Dancing Bear (Comment 93) : actually drafted on the hooker and ended around prop..
@Dancing Bear (Comment 95) :
, everyone can not be the best there is but can do the best they can, and for that I have a lot of respect 
@Franshark (Comment 96) : He definitely was a loosehead at PBHS as well. I remember some Bok from years ago talk about the first time he saw this “chubby redheaded loosehead prop that captained PBHS.” Rob should be able to confirm this.
Taute Yellow for tip tackle
@Franshark (Comment 97) : Very nice Frans….
Tmo for Mokoena try… Out
Alright Frans, I am outta here! Got to get home to check on that generator. Enjoy the rest of the match, and good evening. Most important, Go Sharks….Go Bokke!!!!!
@Dancing Bear (Comment 102) : ditto, thanks for the company
Hollebagh Try..
Elton converts
Lions 34 – 6 Griquas
53min
Maak die Lions almal bokke.
Griquas letting themselfs down with a large amount of forward passes
@McLovin (Comment 106) : Mokoena gets his try
Vogt convertion missed
Lions 34 – 11 Griquas
57min
Kamana now on…
Barnes try… After good work from SP
This Lions team is starting to make me worried
Vogt converts
Lions 34 – 18 Griquas
63min
Griquas playing with a bid of wibe now…
Doppies Yellowed for not releasing the player
Crickey, ref not messing about.
Another harsh yellow imo.
@McLovin (Comment 116) : his a bid yellow card finger happy
Jantjies having another good outing tonight..
10min
Rose under the poles… Try
Vogt converts
Lions 34 – 25 Griquas
73min
Lions penalized for not releasing the player
Griquas loosing the ball 5meters from the line… Not getting it out a mall
Lions doing all the defending…
Well done Lions.
Unstoppable.
I get a win and margin point
Taute try.. Long after the time’s up whistle
Elton converts
Lions 41 – 25 Griquas
Full TIME
3 FL tries to start of the weekend
@Franshark (Comment 110) : Ahhhhhh Kamana! Where was he hiding? Completely forgot about him!
@Ben (Comment 130) : saving himself for the WC, now seen his got no chance so decided on CC…
no back from injury..
@Franshark (Comment 118) :
EltonComplementCount + 1 .. i think thats 2 now
@Franshark (Comment 131) :
yea broke his leg in the Super 15 been out for like 5 months