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Rugby

162nd Griquas game for Roberts

───   MORGAN PIEK 09:27 Fri, 26 Aug 2016

162nd Griquas game for Roberts | News Article
Steph Roberts and Renaldo Bothma - Dirk Kotze / Gallo

The Griquas prop, Steph Roberts, will play in his record 162nd match for the Griquas this weekend when they face the Pumas in Nelspruit in the Currie Cup.


The front rower equalled the team record last weekend during the Griquas 30-24 win over the Golden Lions in Kimberley last week. He also has played in 15 games for the Free State.

The winger, JW Jonker, doesn’t have quite as many first class games for the Griquas, but will be playing in his 185th senior rugby matches. He previously represented the Free State (65), Cheetahs (19), Griffons (4), Pumas (56) and Lions (14). He has 57 tries to his name in all competitions.

The Peacock Blues were sweating over the fitness of the centre Clinton Swart, the flyhalf Elgar Watts, and the winger Alshaun Bock, but they have all been cleared to play.

While Roberts lead the side last weekend, the captaincy will be taken over by the fullback, AJ Coertzen.

Following their outstanding win last weekend, the Griquas will enter the match feeling confident, however, they are aware of their track record in the Lowveld and expect the Pumas to come at them hard.

The team coach, Peter Engeldow, told OFM Sport that no team can be underestimated in the Currie Cup.

“Obviously, we’ve gained a lot of confidence from the win over the Lions at home,” said Engeldow.

“But past history and games away against the Pumas in Nelspruit hasn’t always gone in our favour.

“We managed to beat them in the Vodacom Cup semi-final one year, but besides that they have the upper-hand over us on their home ground.

“In this Currie Cup competition you cannot underestimate anyone, but we’ve worked very hard on keeping the same intensity and focus we had for the Lions.

Friday evenings' match at the Mbombela Stadium kicks off at 19:10. At 17:00 the Golden Lions host the Boland Cavaliers at Ellis Park. On Saturday afternoon at 16:00 the EP Kings take on Western Province at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and at 18:10 the Sharks entertain the Blue Bulls at Kings’ Park. The Toyota Free State Cheetahs have a bye this week.

Pumas - 15 Devon Williams, 14 Bernado Botha, 13 Hennie Skorbinski, 12 Leighton van Wyk, 11 JP Lewis, 0 Francois Brummer, 9 Emile Temperman, 8 Renaldo Bothma (Captain), 7 Nardus van der Walt, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Jannie Stander, 4 Wiehan Hay, 3 Louis Albertse, 2 Frankie Herne, 1 De-Jay Terblanché.

Replacements - 6  Simon Westraadt, 17  Jacques Kotze, 18 Hugo Kloppers, 19 Carel Greeff, 20 Kevin Luiters, 21 Marlou van Niekerk, 22 Hoffman Maritz.

Griquas - 15 AJ Coertzen (Captain), 14 JW Jonker, 13 Johnathan Francke, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Alshaun Bock, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Poerie van Rooyen, 8 Jason Fraser, 7 Sias Koen, 6 Wendal Wehr, 5 Jono Janse van Rensburg, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Stephan Kotze, 2 AJ le Roux, 1 Steph Roberts.

Replacements -  16 Marius Fourie, 17 Liam Hendricks, 18 Hilton Lobberts, 19 Steven Meiring, 20 Renier Botha, 21 André Swarts, 22 Eric Zana.

Morgan Piek/OFM News

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