After Nelspruit burn, Griquas will bring the ‘Vlam’ to George

THE SWD team should be wary. I say this because the Suzuki Griquas will no doubt be determined to bounce back strongly and put in a commanding performance when they face the Eagles in George on Friday evening, following a contentious and heartbreaking defeat that ended their unbeaten SA Cup run.

Last Friday’s loss in Nelspruit brought the Kimberley team’s unbeaten run in the SA Cup to an end under highly controversial circumstances. Fullback Cameron Hufke appeared to have sealed a match-winning hat-trick in the dying moments, only for referee Christopher Allison to overturn the awarded try after glancing at the stadium’s big screen – despite the SA Cup not allowing the use of TMO reviews.

Earlier, Griquas had also suffered a harsh yellow card against flanker Marco de Witt, compounding their misfortune on the night.

Although the visitors fought back bravely and came agonisingly close to snatching a late win, it was a bitter pill to swallow. 

The experience, however, has only sharpened their resolve ahead of their meeting with the Eagles at Outeniqua Park.

The good news, however, is that in a timely boost, Griquas will welcome back promising flanker Lourens “Vlam” Oosthuizen after a long injury lay-off. Oosthuizen has been sidelined for over a year following a serious knee injury shortly after joining Griquas in 2023. 

Head coach Pieter Bergh indicated that the timing felt right to unleash the dynamic loosie, especially after the recent disappointment in Nelspruit.

Bergh explained that Oosthuizen had been training strongly and was full of energy and hunger to make an impact. The coaching staff felt that injecting new blood into the team was the right call to lift spirits and inject urgency into their game.

Known for his speed, power, and physicality, Oosthuizen has impressed in recent sessions and now has a golden opportunity to stake a claim for more regular selection.

Adding to the fresh faces, Griquas have also included a debutant on the bench: Ntobeko Shezi, a former NWU Eagles tighthead prop who recently joined the Kimberley outfit.

Kick-off at Outeniqua Park is set for 6pm.

Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Gurswin Wehr, 10 Tylor Sefoor, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Lourens Oosthuizen, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Athenkosi, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Leon Lyons

Replacements: 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Gustav Erlank, 21 Bobby Alexzander, 22 Zane Bester, 23 Connor Mahoney