The first of three consecutive Saturday games see the Cheetahs hosting Griquas in Bloemfontein, needing five points to put the pressure on the Sharks and hope for the Lions to do enough in Durban to secure a Bloemfontein semi final next weekend.
The one and only Cheetahs Springbok that returned from New Zealand this week returned hurt, with Heinrich Brüssow only likely to see the Bloem change rooms next year again. The Cheetahs have opted for the French approach of playing a scrumhalf at flyhalf, and will be hoping for the best from Tewis de Bruyn at 10.
As for Griquas, they too can still reach the semi finals, and their chances are not only down to them beating the Cheetahs, but also some other results going their way, yet after their win over the Bulls last weekend, they will feel anything is possible.
Cheetahs: 15. Hennie Daniller, 14. Riaan Smit, 13. Robert Ebersohn, 12. Andries Strauss, 11. Cameron Jacobs, 10. Tewis de Bruyn, 9. Piet van Zyl, 8. Ashley Johnson, 7. Philip Van der Walt, 6. Pieter Labuschagne, 5. Izak van der Westhuizen, 4. Francois (FS) Uys, 3. WP Nel, 2. Adriaan Strauss (Captain), 1. Marcel Van Der Merwe
Replacements: 16. Hercu Liebenberg, 17. Trevor Nyakane, 18. Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19. Johan Wessels, 20. Enrico Acker, 21. Nico Scheepers, 22. Philip Burger
Griquas: 15. Rudi Vogt, 14. Dusty Noble, 13. Wilmaure Louw, 12. Matthew Rosslee, 11. Rocco Jansen, 10. Riaan Viljoen, 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Leon Karemaker, 7. Justin Downey, 6. Jonathan Mokuena (Captain), 5. George Earle, 4. Hendrik Roodt, 3. Lourens Adriaanse, 2. Ryno Barnes, 1. Ivann Espag
Replacements: 16. Simon Westraadt, 17. Steph Roberts, 18. Jaco Nepgen, 19. Burger Schoeman, 20. Marnus Hugo, 21. Earl Rose, 22. Fabian Juries
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Go Griquas!!!!
I’m afraid while there IS still a mathematical chance of them making the Semi’s they will have to over come a 119 PD defecit for it to be a reality.
A win will still bouy their feeling somewhat ahead of next season.
Go Griquas!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) :
Griquas owe Boland a big thank you.
With SARU refusing to confirm the relegation rules (with CC going to 6 teams) you’d think there plan was to promote the Kings if they’d won, and relegate the bottom 3 (being Pumas, Leopards & Griquas).
@hendrikp (Comment 2) : So what is the story with promotion/relegation now? Will Boland get a shot at the Leopards now?
@hendrikp (Comment 2) : Griquas in the first division would be almost as big a travesty as the Kings in the premier division!
@Original Pierre (Comment 3) :
Well it’s only going to be 6 teams, so you’d think the Pumas and Leopards will automatically be relegated, with no promotion this year.
@robdylan (Comment 4) :
True, but it’s going to have to happen eventually. Griquas don’t deserve it… but haven’t got the market to retain bigger players, and we can’t exactly hand Kimberley a S15 spot.
Eventually it has to be the Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks, Stormers & Kings, with no promotion/relegation.
@hendrikp (Comment 5) : ag no! This is bad news indeed. I had visions of Boland Park Stadium for me next year in the Currie Cup!
I’d almost be in favor of turning the Currie Cup First Division into an amateur league. Too many professionals. No point paying players who don’t draw a crowd.
@Original Pierre (Comment 6) :
It has to be done because the Super 15 takes a 3 week break, and I think it starts a week later then usual (may be wrong).
My point being to prevent the Currie Cup starting while the Super 15 is still going, they need to cut it from 14 rounds to only 10 to allow it to finish at the same time. That means 6 teams.
@hendrikp (Comment 8) : I don’t have a problem with only 6 teams but think at least boland should have had a chance to play themselves into the top division..
Time to play…
Nico Scheepers is playing in the 14 jersey, making his debut and taking the kickoff, and kicks to the side line…
FS running from their 22 and Ashley knocks the ball and Griquas on attack.
FS Scrum, 5 meter from FS line
Kwasse.
Penalty kick to Griquas
Vogt PK
FS 0 – 3 Griquas
7min
Scheepers overcooks the kickoff and FS under presure again
Viljoen!!
A good break by SP gives Viljoen Griquas first try
Converted.
Katjies 0 – 10 Kwasse
10 mins
Vogt Converts
FS 0 – 10 Griquas
10min
Fs work their way into Griquas 22 just to loose the ball forward
FS penalized for trying to wheel a scrum
Vogt miss the kick @ goal, just to the right
Ashley having a run down field, not getting past the halfway line…
.
Griquas scrum just inside FS half, and penalty to FS….
Line out close to Grieks 5meter
Penalty to FS, right in front
Scheepers kicking to goal, over
FS PK
FS 3 – 10 Griquas
20min
Griquas penalized for hands in, FS line out Grieks 22
Jacobs try,
Scheepers conversion over
FS 10 – 10 Griquas
24min
Viljoen drop goal attempt charged down
FS getting the ball and mess-up a good oppertunity to score
We have a FS scrum, Uys leaving the field injured…
Who is commentating with Suipgat?
Penalty to FS for SP being offside, and now for a dangerous tackle…. Penalty kick missed
Pretorius is awesome.
Griquas on attack, ball knocked 5 meters from the FS try line
Damnit. Cheetahs score another. Only need two in the second half for a BP.
Try again, lappies
Scheepers conversion over
FS 20 – 10 Griquas
HALF TIME
My new favorite wing is Cameron Jacobs…very gutsy and does many good things…
@Hmmm (Comment 44) : That still doesn’t change the fact that the Lions are going to be taken down a peg or two in a couple of hours.
Hey bru’s I’ve just been counted
Earl Rose on for the Griquas
@Franshark (Comment 46) : I was meant to be counted this morning, but we just took the form and sent her away.
Griquas line out on their 10
@klempie (Comment 48) : just wanted to do it and get it done, was not that bad…
Vogt PK
FS 20 – 13 Griquas
47min
De bruin nou kicking for goal
FS PK
FS 23 – 13 Griquas
50min
LMAO!!! Lappies cocked up a certain try by creating an obstruction.
FS try, called back, don’t know what happened, game continuous immediately…
Now a lappies try
@klempie (Comment 54) : oh is that what happened
De Bruin converts
FS 30 – 13 Griquas
53min
@Franshark (Comment 56) : Yeh he was going for the line and then ran inside Adriaan Strauss who was between Lappies and a Kwasse player
@klempie (Comment 54) : it was all his plan to score the try himself
Griquas getting close, ball intercepted by struass(2) and then tackled out, line out Griquas, FS 5 meter
SP claims the ball after a shocking thou-in
SP claims the ball after a shocking throu-in
Penalty to Griquas, FS scrumming in… Going for line out
That was a FANTASTIC try.
Try, Karemaker
Vogt converts
FS 30 – 20 Griquas
60min
Viljoen kicks the ball out on the full from inside his half,
Sharks have to score 4 tries.
Struass(2) gets a try… The 4th for FS
De Bruin converts
FS 37 – 20 Griquas
63min
@klempie (Comment 68) : can u do the last few min, have to go and pick the kid up @ school
Phillip Burger is ‘n nar.
@Franshark (Comment 72) : Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.
Who is this moron commentating with Suipgat???
Griesel try.
Converted.
FS 49 – 20 Kwasse
71 mins
Noble try.
Conversion missed.
FS 49 – 25 Kwasse
76 mins
@ Klempie 45
Don’t use drugs and blog…you might hurt yourself…
Roberts scores.
Converted.
FS 49 – 32 Kwasse
79 mins
@Hmmm (Comment 79) : I trust you’ll be joining us for the game?
So we HAVE to have a 5 pointer to have a home semi.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) : Yup.
KAK reffing.
He wanted to blow the whistle because Pretorius took it 1m infront of the mark and then decided not to.
Reffing like that has screwed up the RWC.
LAWS ARE LAWS blow to them
Pretorius scores another.
FT FS 49 – 39 Kwasse
Looking forward to see what Sarel Pretorius can do at the other Tahs.
@klempie (Comment 83) : or 4 points and a victory by 116
Licking my lips for a WP vs Sharks final…..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 87) : that’s going to take a lot of penalty kicks…..
@klempie (Comment 86) : is burgess still with the waratahs?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 87) : yup
3 converted tries and an assortment of 32 drop kicks and penalties will also do the job…if we can keep them scoreless
FOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Money must be tight at the Cheetahs if they can only afford one cap.
The Captain has to give his Toyota Cap to the Man of The Match to wear during the interview.
@klempie (Comment 91) : or else we’d have to score a few extra 3 pointers.