Currie Cup action for the weekend kicks off tonight, with the Lions hosting a disappointing Griquas outfit, with no wins from their first three starts. The Lions sit at the top of the Currie Cup log, and will look to make full use of their home advantage and the availability of Elton Jantjes to stay there.
The Lions have made a few unnecessary changes, which seem silly, but coach Johan Ackermann seems to know what he is doing, and shifting Josh Struass to lock might be genius in the long run. Another change comes at halfback, where Ross Cronje gets a start ahead of Michael Bondesio.
Griquas coach Pote Human has also made changes, but these are more out of anger than anything else, as he struggles to find combinations that work in match conditions, with his team only managing to put together forty minutes of good rugby a match. Jean Stemmet comes into the midfield in place of Stefan Watermeyer, while Justin Downey drops to the bench In favour of Marnus Schoeman.
This match should be pretty close, as all Currie Cup encounters are this year so far, but I suspect the Lions will have too much in the tank for the pou-blou.
Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 JR Esterhuizen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Butch James, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Willie Britz, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Joshua Strauss, 3 CJ Van der Linde, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Replacements: 16 Callie Visagie/Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Michael Rhodes, 19 Cobus Grobbelaar, 20 Michael Bondesio, 21 Alwyn Hollenbach, 22 Deon Helberg.
Griquas: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Wesley Wilkins, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Rynhardt Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes (captain), 1 Steph Roberts.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Matthew Rosslee.
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Go LIONS!!!
@Mutley (Comment 1) : sorry… have to go the other way
@rondylan
Ill always go Lions, then Sharks
Kick off
Penalty Brummer
Griekwas 3
Lions 0
4min
Try Ross Cronje
Conversion missed
Lions 5
Griekwas 3
7min
Penalty Jantjies
Lions 8
Griekwas 3
10min
Penalty Brummer
Griekwas 6
Lions 8
12min
Try Jansen
Conversion over
Griekwas 13
Lions 8
16min
Try Jannie Boshoff
Conversion over
Griekwas 20
Lions 8
22min
Penalty Jantjies
Lions 11
Griekwas 20
27min
Penalty Brummer
Griekwas 23
Lions 11
32min
Try Jaco Kriel!!!!!!!!
Conversion good
Lions 18
Griekwas 23
34min
TMO try for Griekwas???
Try given
Conversion missed
Griekwas 28
Lions 18
36min
Halftime
Griekwas 28
Lions 18
Brummer starts the 2nd half
Le Roux scores the bonus point try
Brummer converts
Griekwas 35
Lions 18
45min
Griekwas running riot
60min still
Griekwas 35
Lions 18
Try!!!!!!! Volmink
Converted
Lions 25
Griekwas 35
69min
Another try Anthony Volmink!!!!!
Conversion over Butch James
Lions 32
Griekwas 35
71min
Stemmet scores what should be the winning try
Brummer converts
Griekwas 42
Lions 32
78min
Griekwas wins 42-32
Scintillating stuff from the Griquas, resisting every natural instinct to kick, and running that ball with fine style, with backs and forwards interlinking.
I’m glad they came away with the win, keeps them in the race and definitely another team not to be taken lightly.
Truly the CC is a Top 6 competition. No bore resting players for the minnows, every game is make or break.
I was a bit hesitant towards the new setup of our Premier Division but now it is just looking better than it was before. We now have a full-strength competition where anyone can win. Before we had 2 teams that were only in it to decide who ends 8th and who ends 7th. Although I love to see smaller unions play (which is impossible overhere in Holland, really guys… I need help with that) the top6 teams are just in their place now. No match is an easy one, no match can be taken for granted. If only I could find a source to watch some 1st Div. Currie Cup rugby…
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 35) : holland? any rugby at all there?
If they work on getting the basics of scrumming and line-outs right they will be a jr. NZ team. Well played (but for that short lapse in consentration.) This is also the way the sharks can play – Let us see if there is a coach who has learned from this!!
@West Indies Cricket Board (Comment 36) : Well, there is a national team. I played for the national team once but the level is not even close to Georgia or Romania. We are far removed from ever standing a chance of playing in the WOrld Cup haha. But I love rugby.
I just hope anyone can help me to find a decent stream for the Sharks match today.