Preview: Griffons looking to march on
The table-topping Griffons will be looking to make it three wins from three in this year's First Division when they host the winless Border Bulldogs at the North West Stadium in Welkom on Friday.
In Friday's other matches, defending First Division champions the Boland Cavaliers will want to pick up their first win of 2012 when they host the Leopards in Malmesbury, while the Pumas, victors over the Cavaliers in Nelspruit last week, travel to Outeniqua Park in George to take on the SWD Eagles.
There is only one Saturday match in Round Three, where the Falcons, following their convincing away win over the Bulldogs last week, are at home to the only other unbeaten team in the First Division, the EP Kings, at the Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park.
The Cavaliers' Director of Coaching, Eugene Eloff, believes his champion team will bounce back from their two defeats to the EP Kings and Pumas, even though they are missing eight of the players who contested last year's final and have been hit hard by injuries to key forwards.
"No teams wants to kick off the season with two losses, but the experience which our new players have picked up over the past fortnight can't be bought," said Eloff.
"This experience is going to prove vital as the competition goes on. We could have beaten the Kings but against the Pumas the occasion perhaps got to the guys a bit.
"If you think about it, the Pumas were giving Western Province, the Blue Bulls and the Sharks a hard time last year. The Leopards also played Premier Division rugby last year, but the Cavaliers aren't First Division champions for nothing."
EP Kings flyhalf George Whitehead tops the First Division point-scoring log after Round Two, with 33 points made up of two tries, four conversions and five penalties. Just behind Whitehead is Griffons wing Reinhardt Erwee on 26, and Eagles No.10 Kurt Coleman on 21.
Pumas flank Jaco Bouwer leads the try-scoring stakes with four touchdowns, followed by Leopards wing Danie Dames and Griffons flyhalf Tertius Maarman, with two tries apiece.
Round Three fixtures:
Griffons v Border Bulldogs
Date: Friday, July 13
Venue: North West Stadium, Welkom
Kick-off: 15.00
Referee: Joey Salmans
Assistants: Quinton Immelman, Pieter Janse van Vuuren
TMO: Deon van Blommestein
Last meeting: 24 September 2011 in Welkom (First Division): Bulldogs won 25-21.
Boland Cavaliers v Leopards
Date: Friday, July 13
Venue: Wesbank Sports Ground, Malmesbury
Kick-off: 16.00
Referee: Lesego Legoete
Assistants: Jason Jaftha, Marc van Zyl
Last meeting: 1 Apr 2011 in Potchefstroom (Vodacom Cup): Cavaliers won 43-14.
SWD Eagles v Pumas
Date: Friday, July 13
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Kick-off: 19.00
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Assistants: Matt Kemp, Cobus Wessels
Last meeting: 25 Feb 2011 in George (Vodacom Cup): Pumas won 35-26.
Falcons v EP Kings
Date: Saturday, 14 July
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Kick-off: 15.00
Referee: Stuart Berry
Assistants: Rasta Rasivhenge, Sieg van Staden
Last meeting: 7 Oct 2011 in Port Elizabeth (First Division): Kings won 48-17.
