In-form Griquas to hand Sharks another hiding?
· Citizen
The Griquas are heavy favourites going into Friday’s home Currie Cup clash against the Sharks, sitting top of the table and on a three-game winning streak.
It comes after the Sharks – though featuring a mostly different team led by a different coaching group – were thrashed 54-0 by the All Blacks in Durban on Tuesday night.
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Sharks United Rugby Championship coach JP Pietersen said his team fought for the full 80 minutes, but it “was not nice to see” them outplayed in just about every department, losing seven tries to none.
Griquas sitting pretty
In the Currie Cup, the Sharks come from a deserved 19-12 win over Boland at Princess Magogo Stadium, in KwaMashu, a township outside Durban.
They have two wins and two defeats but sit seventh with 10 points, in a tight middle-of-the-table battle.
The Griquas, though leading, are just six points ahead.
They host the Sharks in Kimberley (kick-off 5.05pm) after they followed their tight 25-19 defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town with victories over the Bulls (56-26), Cheetahs (24-21) and Lions (31-19), all at home.
That fourth-round win over the Lions saw them leapfrog the Joburg side to the top of the table.
They were the stronger team in that game and only conceded their strong scoreline advantage when centre Zane Bester received a yellow card with 15 minutes to go.
The Lions scored twice before the end to add some respectability to the scoreline.
Sharks juggle player workload amid injury crisis
The Sharks, meanwhile, travel for the final time and will want to at least come away with something positive before their last two games agaisnt the Lions and Bulls at home.
The Sharks could move into the top four with a win.
Coach Mike Vowles has had to include four players who featured in that All Black drubbing, balancing player workload amid another injury crisis.
Luan Giliomee, Liam van Wyk, Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka and Simphiwe Ngobese will play just three days after they faced New Zealand.
Giliomee and Van Wyk start while Kubheka and Ngobese play from the bench.
“It’s a quick turnaround for us, and there are a lot of moving parts for us this week,” Vowles said.
“So we’ll prepare well, ice a few sore bodies and go to Kimberley fully prepared to fight for the full 80.”
Head-to-head, each team has won three of their last six meetings. The Griquas won last year’s match in Kimberley 26-17.
Sharks starting XV: Luan Giliomee, Christie Grobbelaar, Lyle Matthews, Albie Bester, Khuthi Rasivhaga, Tim Swiel, Ross Braude (captain), Hanu Pieterse, Wasi Vyambwera, Tino Mavesere, Meno Barnard, Johan Momsen, Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, Liam van Wyk, Jaco du Toit.
Replacements: Jacques Marais, Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Kubheka, Simphiwe Ngobese, Danio Botha, Sphephelo Mbonambi, Juan Loots, Janco Purchase, Chijindu Okonta.