Griquas make changes as players join rival teams
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Griquas coach Scott Mathie has named a much-changed team for their next Super Rugby Unlocked encounter, against the Lions in Johannesburg on Friday.
Only six players from their last match – a home defeat to the Pumas almost a fortnight ago – have retained their positions in the starting line-up, while there are two positional changes.
Meanwhile, Griquas will be without Anthony Volmink, Victor Sekekete and Ian Groenewald as they have all moved to other unions. Volmink has joined the Sharks, while Sekekete and Groenewald have both joined the Cheetahs.
The six players who will start in the same positions as two weekends ago, are the midfield pairing of Harlon Klaasen and Andre Swartz, the halfbacks George Whitehead and Zak Burger, Stefan Willemse (flank) and HJ Luus (hooker).
James Verity-Amm moves from wing to fullback and Carl Els from flank to No.8. The other players in the matchday 23 are basically new, with Andrew Beerwinkel (prop), Adre Smith (lock), Mzwanele Zito (lock) and Gideon van der Merwe (flank) promoted from the bench.
The two starting props from the match against the Lowvelders, John-Roy Jenkinson and Mox Mxoli, will start on the bench on Friday.
The new faces on the bench are Monde Hadebe, Johan Momsen, Ewan Coetzee, Theo Maree, Tinus de Beer, Masixole Banda, Bandisa Ndlovu, CJ Velleman and Jonathan Francke, although Mathie must still decide which eight will be the official replacements for the match.
Ndlovu, Velleman and Banda are new additions to the Peacock Blues’ squad.
Griquas: 15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Harlon Klaasen, 12 André Swarts, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 George Whitehead (captain), 9 Zak Burger, 8 Carl Els, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Adré Smith, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 HJ Luus, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Replacements – from: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Mox Mxoli, 18 John-Roy Jenkinson, 19 Johan Momsen, 20 Ewan Coetzee, 21 Theo Maree, 22 Tinus de Beer, 23 Masixole Banda, 24 Bandisa Ndlovu, 25 CJ Velleman, 26 Jonathan Francke.
Date: Friday, October 30
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Stuart Berry
TMO: Jaco Peyper
