Griquas keep their powder dry
Griquas coach Pote Human made 12 changes to his team for their final Currie Cup league match of the season, as he keeps his powder dry for the play-offs.
Griquas, who will be involved in promotion-relegation matches with the Pumas later this month, face the Golden Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
However, Human opted to rest seven of his frontline players, including Springbok Willie le Roux, to ensure they are fresh for the play-off matches on October 19 in Kimberley and October 26 in Nelspruit.
"There are a number of players who I want to give a break ahead of the promotion-relegation matches," Human told this website in an interview, when asked about a starting XV that has just three players in the same positions as last week.
Only No.8 Leon Karemaker, wing Rocco Jansen and fullback Gouws Prinsloo have been retained.
The return of Lourens Adriaanse from Springbok duty and Rynhard Landman from injury also contributed to the changes.
"They have not played for a while and need game time [ahead of the play-offs], so they are coming in," Human told this website.
Janro van Niekerk, back from injury, starts at loosehead prop, Matthew Dobson gets a run at hooker after playing prop off the bench most of the season and Adriaanse (who did not feature in any of the Boks' Rugby Championship matches) is at tighthead in an all new front row.
Adriaanse also takes over the captaincy from hooker Ryno Barnes, one of the seven players being rested. Others given a break this week include Steph Roberts, Marnus Schoeman, Marnus Hugo, Francois Brummer, Howard Mnisi and Willie le Roux.
Landman and Rory Arnold, makes up the new lock combination, with Jaco Nepgen switching from lock to No.7 flank and RJ Liebenberg moving from No.7 to No.6.
Jacques Coetzee starts at scrumhalf, Du Randt Gerber is in at flyhalf, Johnathan Francke, who played for Boland this year and will join Griquas from 2014, will partner Jean Stemmet (back from injury) in midfield and Luzuko Vulindlu comes in on the right wing.
The Griquas coach admitted he is keeping your powder dry for the play-offs, hence the decision to "rest" so many of his frontline players.
"They have played all the games in the Currie Cup this season and I feel they deserve a break ahead of the next two games," Human said.
Griquas: 15 Gouws Prinsloo, 14 Luzuko Vulindlu, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Johnathan Francke, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Du Randt Gerber, 9 Jacques Coetzee, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Jaco Nepgen, 6 RJ Liebenberg, 5 Rory Arnold, 4 Rynhard Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse (captain), 2 Matthew Dobson, 1 Janro van Niekerk.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Brummer Badenhorst, 18 Dalton Davis, 19 Patrick O'Brien, 20 Enrico Acker, 21 JP Nel, 22 Logan Basson.
Date: Saturday, October 12
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Sieg van Staden
TMO: Johan Greeff
By Jan de Koning
