For the Lions, this Currie Cup is about more than silverware – it’s a chance to banish old demons and spark belief before a URC season that demands better.
Griquas may be highly motivated to win the Currie Cup final but the Lions need the title more than anyone else.
Doing so would boost their confidence going into the United Rugby Championship next weekend, where they have only met failure, dwindling fan support, an exodus of players, and questions around their coaching staff over the past four seasons.
The two teams clash in the Currie Cup final at Ellis Park after the Lions topped the table in the league phase (five wins from seven) and thrashed Boland Cavaliers 67-19 in the semi-final. Griquas finished second, and beat the Cheetahs 25-5 in their semi-final.
Lions need to restore pride
On a three-game winning streak, the Lions must exorcise the ghosts of last year’s disastrous final against the Sharks, and deliver silverware in the competition they are favoured to win.
Before the season kicked off, Lions Currie Cup coach Mziwakhe Nkosi said they still saw the URC as the premier competition, and the Currie Cup as a means of sharpening players ahead of the Euro competition.
The Joburg side have finished in the bottom of the 16-team table four years in a row, and so have never qualified for the play-offs.
Lions put last year’s final to the back of their minds
Lions hooker Franco Marais said winning the Currie Cup would provide the team with a great deal of confidence ahead of the URC.
“It will be great to start with those three away games with a Currie Cup win under the belt, a bit of confidence and momentum, and great team camaraderie having won a cup together.”
He said the team had not discussed last year’s final very much.
“I think we are really focused on ourselves at the moment. To do what we’ve been doing the last four, five weeks and even before the URC players started playing. Just building momentum.”
Griquas back Tom Nel, who will play from the bench, told OFM the team was ready for the Lions. “I don’t think people realise how much it means to the Griquas to have hosted a semi-final and now to be in the final,” he said.
“We’ve prepped hard, everyone’s worked hard the entire tournament to get us here. I think it’s going to be a very different battle to the one we had two weeks ago.
Their team is stacked, but that’s exactly what we want as the Griquas – to go there and beat a strong side. We believe we can do it.”
Griquas: Cameron Hufke, Dylan Maart, Zane Bester, Mnombo Zwelenedaba, Gurswin Wehr, George Whitehead, Caleb Abrahams, Gustav Erlank, Carl Els, Lourens Oosthuizen, Albert Liebenberg, Derik Pretorius, Cebo Dlamini (captain), Janco Uys, Eddie Davids. Bench: Tiaan Lange, Leon Lyons, IG Prinsloo, Marco de Witt, Phumzile Maqondwana, Thomas Bursey, Tom Nel, Connor Mahoney.
The Lions team will be announced on Friday morning, though coach Mziwakhe Nkosi confirmed on Thursday that fullback Quan Horn will captain the side and Springbok prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye will be vice-captain.
