Former Stormers winger Dylan Maart forms part of a potent Griquas backline to take on the Stormers XXIII in Cape Town on Friday night.
The Currie Cup Premier Division ignites into life this weekend, with the clash between the defending champions and the newly-rebranded Stormers XXIII one of the standout games of the opening round.
Another ex-Stormer, Leon Lyons and replacement fullback Cameron Hufke, are both set to make their 50th appearances for Griquas.
No 8 Dillon Smith will make his Currie Cup debut, while wing Stefan Coetzee and replacement centre Damian Markus are also in line for their first appearances in the competition for the Kimberley-based outfit.
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While Griquas have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning their last eight meetings against the Cape side, they have lost their opening Currie Cup match in each of the last four seasons since coach Pieter Bergh took charge.
“Our first game has been a problem,” Bergh told Netwerk24. “We haven’t won our opening Currie Cup match since I’ve been here. That’s four seasons in a row now. It’s important that we start well and build momentum early.”
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Bergh insists his side is not reading too much into their winning streak in the fixture.
“We don’t talk about it. We know one day that record will end and we’ll lose. Hopefully it won’t be this weekend,” he said.
“If they want to use it as motivation, then great. For us it’s about getting five log points. It’s not about a record and it’s certainly not something we’re focusing on.
“Maybe subconsciously it gives us confidence because we know we’ve beaten them before. It definitely gives you belief that you can go to Cape Town and win.”
GRIQUAS – 15 Gurswin Wehr, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Sako Makata, 11 Stefan Coetzee, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Dillon Smith, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Carl Els, 5 Albert Liebenberg (c), 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Ig Prinsloo, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Leon Lyons.
Bench: 16 Tiaan Lange, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Derik Pretorius, 20 Lourens Oosthuizen, 21 Caleb Abrahams, 22 Damian Markus, 23 Cameron Hufke.
Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
The post Former Stormer Maart starts for Griquas appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former Stormers winger Dylan Maart forms part of a potent Griquas backline to take on the Stormers XXIII in Cape Town on Friday night.
The post Former Stormer Maart starts for Griquas appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
