Lock Derik Pretorius enters the starting XV after Malembe Mpofu failed his HIA protocols. Phumzile Maqondwana joins the bench.
The Griquas have made just one change to their starting XV and one to the bench for their Currie Cup final against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Lock Derik Pretorius comes in for Malembe Mpofu, who failed his HIA protocols.
Marco de Witt, usually a loose forward, is named on the bench as lock cover. Phumzile Maqondwana joins the bench as the back-up loose forward.
Griquas have it all to do
The Griquas beat the Cheetahs comfortably 25-5 in their semi-final in Kimberley. It was their fifth win in a row against the Bloemfontein side.
But it is a whole new ball game going against an in-form and full-strength Lions side in Johannesburg.
The Lions smashed the Griquas in their league phase match at the same venue five tries to one (score 37–7) a week before the semis.
The Lions dominated that game, winning all six of their scrums and 14 of their 16 lineouts. They stole the ball at breakdown four times compared to the Griqaus’ two, and forced two penalties to the Griquas’ none. They also only conceded three penalties to the Griquas’ 11, and made 89 of their 101 tackles compared to the Griquas’ 146 of 184 (79%).
The Kimberley side have won the Currie Cup final three times – in 1899, 1911 and 1970. They have been runners-up four times, last reaching the final in 2022 and falling to the Pumas.
Griquas starting XV: 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.
Replacements: Tiaan Lange, Leon Lyons, IG Prinsloo, Marco de Witt, Phumzile Maqondwana, Thomas Bursey, Tom Nel, Connor Mahoney.
