Griquas sign Lions' Doppies

 

Doppies, as he is affectionately know to his teammates, lifted the Currie Cup with the Lions in 2011, but he has been playing for Italian club Treviso in recent years.

 

His move back to South Africa looked set to be a return to the Lions, but when negotiations went through for Griquas centre Howard Mnisi to move to Johannesburg, Griquas swooped for the Italian-based former Lions midfielder.

 

Le Grange has been training with the Kimberley team for three weeks now and coach Hawies Fourie feels he is ready to get back into the Currie Cup.

 

"Doppies knows our style and the way we play now," Griquas coach Hawies Fourie told rugby365.

 

"With the injuries we have suffered in the last few weeks a gap has opened up for him."

 

Griquas were quick to swoop for the centre when the Lions managed to poach one of their own in Mnisi.

 

"He was in Italy with Treviso looking to come back to South Africa, and if I understand correctly the Lions were looking into him, but when they signed Howard Mnisi they no longer had a need for him," Fourie added.

 

There is also a spot for UCT Varsity Cup flyhalf Dean Grant in the No.10 jersey after the Griquas moved Francois Brummer to fullback to fill in for the injured players.

 

"We have three fullbacks injured now – Nico Scheepers tore his hamstring against the Free State Cheetahs last week, Gouws Prinsloo and Roco Jansen both damaged their medial ligaments earlier in the season.

 

"They have been on the injury list for some time now."

 

The decision to bring Grant in was more based on the the fact that Fourie has enough faith in Brummer to play at fullback, having done so at Currie Cup level already.

 

"We had to decide whether  to play someone out of position at fullback or bring in a specialist," Fourie went on

 

"We brought in Dean and moved Brummer to fullback where he has played before at Currie Cup level.

 

"This gives us more attacking options and we can still use Brummer's kicking game.

 

"He is also good under the high ball and he becomes an extra playmaker in the backline."

 

Fourie has also handed a start to promising flank Ruaan Lerm, who he says matches the abrasive playing style of the Pumas.

 

"Ruaan [Lerm] impressed us with his attitude at training," Fourie said.

 

"He does everything at full pace with high intensity and that's how we want to play.

 

"He is aggressive in contact and we will need that aggression against the Pumas to counter some one like Renaldo Bothma [Pumas No.8].

 

"We need to match their types of players to beat them – and Ruaan is one of those guys.

 

Griquas will travel to Nelspruit desperate to pick up their first win of the season in an attempt to reach the top six and avoid relegation.

 

Griquas:15 Francois Brummer, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Jonathan Francke, 12 Wayne Stevens (captain), 11 PJ Vermeulen, 10 Dean Grant, 9  Tian Meyer, 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Ruaan Lerm, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Jonathan Adendorf, 3 Ewald Van Der  Westhuizen, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Steph Roberts.

Replacments: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Maks Van Dyk, 18 Hugo Kloppers, 19 RJ Liebenberg,20 Abrie Griesel, 21 Gideon La Grange, 22 Neil Marais.