Injuries to three key Griqua players have substantially ”levelled the playing fields” ahead of Saturday afternoon’s eagerly anticipated Griquas vs. Western Province (WP) Vodacom Shield rugby semi-final at Absa Park, Kimberley.
Skipper and eighth man Phillip van Schalkwyk, flank Nicky van der Walt, fly-half Quintin van Tonder, and centre Dries Scholtz will all be watching Saturday’s match from the stands.
A surprise inclusion in Griquas’ starting line-up against the Griffons last Saturday, Scholtz is ineligible to play any further part in the Shield competition as he has only played one Shield match instead of the laid down three minimum in the round robin stage.
Zane Kirchner and Lodie van Staden return at fly-half and centre respectively, with Kobus Grobbelaar at number eight and Jannie Bornman and Bertus Heunis as the two starting flanks.
Louis Loubser is the first-choice hooker with Robin Cockrell starting out on the reserve bench. Scrum-half Charl Blom leads Griquas against WP.
The Griqua selection is:
Patrick Petersen, Colin Lloyd or Hyron Thyse, Jeffrey Stevens, Lodie van Staden, Jearus Nicholas, Zane Kirchner, Charl Blom (captain), Kobus Grobbelaar, Jannie Bornman, Bertus Heunis, Duimpie Theron, Nelis Swart, Lucky van Straaten, Louis Loubser, Hedley Wessels.
Reserves:
Robin Cockrell, Rudi Durandt, Attie Stander, David Janse van Rensburg, Eben Olivier or Johannes Rooifontein, Colin Lloyd or Hyron Thyse and Jose van Rensburg.
Some good news for the the Griqua camp though; the tummy bug which plagued most of the provincial squad over the weekend is happily a thing of the past. – Sapa