Griquas have suffered a double injury setback ahead of Friday night’s Currie Cup clash against the Cheetahs in Kimberley.
Cameron Hufke’s season is over after the fullback tore his posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and meniscus during last week’s victory over the Vodacom Bulls, while winger Dylan Maart is expected to spend several weeks on the sidelines after tearing shoulder ligaments.
“We’ve actually got nine players out for this game. A month ago we only had one injury, but we’re now sitting with nine unavailable,” Griquas coach Pieter Bergh told OFM Sport.
Bergh added that Keegan Blankenberg and Gustav Erlank also face lengthy spells on the sidelines, although Eddie Davids, Malembe Mpofu and Dylan Smith are expected to return next week, with hooker Janco Uys another week or two away from recovering from an achilles injury.
ALSO: Embattled Bulls suffer triple injury blow
In team changes, Stefan Coetzee returns from a minor niggle to join Connor Mahoney and hat-trick hero Gurswin Wehr in the back three.
In the forwards, former Cheetahs hooker Janus Venter will make his Griquas debut after joining Griquas on loan from the SWD Eagles.
Scrumhalf Jack Hart is also set to make his Currie Cup debut after impressing during the Toyota Challenge in Bloemfontein.
GRIQUAS – 15 Stefan Coetzee, 14 Connor Mahoney, 13 Zane Bester, 12 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 11 Gurswin Wehr, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg (c), 4 Lungisi Mbiko, 3 Ig Prinsloo, 2 Tiaan Lange, 1 Leon Lyons.
Bench: 16 Janus Venter, 17 Corné Lavagna, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Carel van der Merwe, 20 Phumzile Maqondwana, 21 Jack Hart, 22 Damian Markus, 23 Sako Makata.
Photo: Danie van der Lith/Gallo Images
The post Injury-hit Griquas lose star backs appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Griquas have suffered a double injury setback ahead of Friday night’s Currie Cup clash against the Cheetahs in Kimberley.
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