GWK Griquas vs Sharks, GWK Park, 10 Jul 10, 15:00 CAT

[Intercept King JDV]

Last season’s surprise package The Griquas play The Sharks at home in Kimberley.

GWK Griquas v Sharks

Date: Saturday, July 10
Venue: GWK Park, Kimberley
Kick-off: 15:00 (13:00 GMT)

GWK Griquas: 15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Rocco Reginald Jansen, 13. Wilmaure Louw, 12. Matthew Rosslee, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10. Naas Olivier (Captain), 9. Sarel Pretorius, 8. Leon Karemaker, 7. Davon Raubenheimer, 6. Wesley Wilkins, 5. Cecil-John Kemp, 4. Hendrik Roodt, 3. Jacobus Petrus Adriaanse, 2. Ryno Barnes, 1. Steph Roberts
Replacements: 16. Simon Westraadt, 17. Albertus Buckle, 18. Frederik Albertus Spies, 19. Petrus Gerhardus (Gerhard) Human, 20. Marnus Hugo, 21. Barry Geel, 22. Richard Lawson

Sharks (Probable): 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Lwazi Mvovo, 13 Stefan Terblanhce (captain), 12 Riaan Swanepoel, 11 Louis Ludik, 10 Steve Meyer, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Patric Cilliers
16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Anton Bresler/Justin Downey, 19 Skholiwe Ndlovu, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Monty Dumond, 22 Andries Strauss

Source

Will be a tough opener for the Sharks as we all know that Griquas are a tough nut to crack at home on a rock hard Kimberley pitch.
Think this game will be a nail bitter right to the end and that the Sharks experience might pull them through a the end.

My prediction: Sharks to win by no more than 10 points.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I am hoping Rory Kockott can make a good impression this Currie Cup so he might be selected for the Springboks. I feel he's one of those players who is very close to being chosen for the SB squad

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Yeah should be between Kockott, Pretorius and Vermaak for the no.9 jersey come end of the year tour.Kockott is my favorite out of those 3 players for that jersey.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Wow. I am surprised I have a fellow Kockott-fan. When I first saw him play about 2 years ago I was so surprised. Together with Ryan Kankowski and Francois Steyn they were the talented trio that made me want to watch The Sharks even more. Especially Kankowski is a very strong player that will get his chance to move up in line towards the starting 15 for the Springboks. About Francois Steyn we don't have to even discuss anything. He's amazing in every way.

I am curious to see how Kockott will do once Pienaar leaves for Europe later this year.

 

[SelimNiai]

What is a Griqua anyway

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griqua_people

It's not that difficult to search you know

 

[Seaton]

Mon the Sharks!

I have a funny feeling the Griquas aren't going to do so well this year, they got their momentum last year by winning the Vodacom Cup, this year their first choice combinations have rarely played together, if not for the Griquas at all, this could result in them being a bit off the pace when facing the Sharks.

Hopefully a demolition of the Griquas wil get them clicking, soon to be thrashing the Bulls at Loftus, and leaving them without a semi-final place come the semi-finals B)

The Sharks team has been announced

1. Pat Cilliers
2. Craig Burden
3. Wiehan Herbst
4. Steven Sykes
5. Allistair Hargreaves
6. Jacques Botes
7. Micheal Rhodes
8. Keegan Daniel
9. Rory Kocket
10. Steven Meyer
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Riaan Swanepoel
13. Stefan Terblanche (captain)
14. Louis Loudik
15. Pat Lambie


Very inexperienced bench, hope they pull through until the injury count declines

 

[Intercept King JDV]

The GWK Griquas showed that they would be a force to be reckoned with in this year's Absa Currie Cup Premier Division as they downed the Sharks 40-34 (halftime 8-22) at GWK Park in Kimberley on Saturday.

The home side turned in a committed second-half performance that saw them overturn a 14-point deficit at half time as they ran in five tries to claim a bonus-point victory.

The highpoint of the Griquas' effort came in a 12-minute period in the second stanza that saw them run in 18 unanswered points to take a comfortable 40-27 lead with nine minutes of the match left.

Flank Wesley Wilkins was deservedly named man of the match and his second half try was just reward for an immense performance that saw Wilkins feature prominently of both defence and attack.

However, it would be unfair to single out a single Griquas' player as the entire match 22 could be proud of their effort.

The first half was a stop-start affair thanks in main to the 10 penalties and free kicks that the two sides conceded in the first 30 minutes.

The hosts opened the scoring in the sixth minute when flyhalf Naas Olivier slotted a penalty but 12 minutes later the Sharks took the lead when outside centre Stefan Terblanche scooped up a loose ball on the Griquas' 22-metre line.

Terblanche expertly drew the last defender before feeding left wing Lwazi Mvovo, who streaked over untouched for the first try of the match.

The visitors' handling had let them down in the opening exchanges but they were slowly finding their rhythm and they added to their lead in the 23rd minute after a period of sustained pressure.

The Griquas' conceded a free kick at a scrum five-metres from their line and Sharks' eighthman Keegan Daniel took a quick tap before feeding flyhalf Steve Meyer who flopped over the line.

The visitors, who played with a strong wind at their backs in the first half, had opened up a 12-3 lead.

However, with just under 10 minutes left in the half, the hosts finally breached the Sharks' defence when hooker Ryno Barnes burst through a maul five metres from the visitors' tryline before rumbling over for an unconverted try.

Sharks' scrumhalf Rory Kockott succeeded with a penalty in the 34th minute before flank Michael Rhodes, who carried the ball strongly all day, bulldozed his way over the Griquas' line to push the Sharks into a 22-8 lead with three minutes left in the half.

Despite their strong showing in the first stanza the half ended badly for the Sharks when flank Jacques Botes was yellow-carded for punching shortly before the break.

The Griquas took full advantage of their numerical advantage at the start of the second half as a searing midfield break from Wilkins resulted in loosehead prop Steph Roberts diving over to score from a ruck.

After 14 minutes of the half the home side were level thanks to a superb try after left wing Bjorn Basson took full advantage of turnover ball to set off from his own 22-metre line to outstrip the Sharks' cover defence before Olivier converted to make the score 22-22.

Three minutes later the Sharks regained the lead courtesy of Mvovo's second try.

But the Griquas were not to be denied and, as the match entered the final quarter, the home side went on the rampage.

Olivier slotted two penalties before Wilkins scored from close range and Basson chased through his own kick ahead to score his second try of the contest.

The visitors managed to grab a consolation try through prop Pat Cilliers who went over with five minutes left in the match.

Cilliers's try meant that the Sharks could take some comfort as they picked up two bonus points for scoring four tries and losing by less than seven points.

Scorers

GWK Griquas - Tries: Bjorn Basson (2), Ryno Barnes, Steph Roberts, Wesley Wilkins; Conversions: Naas Olivier (3); Penalties: Olivier (3).

The Sharks - Tries: Lwazi Mvovo (2), Steve Meyer, Michael Rhodes, Pat Cilliers; Conversions: Rory Kockott (2), Monty Dumond; Penalty: Kockott.

Source

Wow!Griquas showed some heart to come back from a 14 point deficit at half time to win by 6 points at the end!Seems like Griquas will be hard to beat yet again this year at home.

 

[Sker]

Absolutely great game! Bjorn Basson is the new Habana, he's got pace and skills. Riaan Viljoen, what a boot!

I think I might be becoming a Griquas fan but as they say here...

PROOOOVINCE PROOOOOVINCE DIE CURRIE CUP KOM WEER!

 

[Seaton]

Went straight to bed after that, and only watched the WP vs Cheetahs game with half interest, however I came up with a theory to encourage Sharks supporters everywhere

This 'defeat' wasn't a bad thing, as the Sharks only play the Griquas until a later stage of the competition, when injuries would have taken their toll.
In the mean time, the Griquas can knock over a few of the other big guns, after the confidence they got from this win. The physicality involvedshould knacker them even more come the second round Sharks vs Griquas game.

I know it involves a lot of variables, but hey, its either this or suicide!

 

[Amobokoboko]

Seems that I missed a great game.