The loose forward takes over the role left vacant following the departure of former captain, Tian Meyer, to the Toyota Cheetahs.

Coach Peter Engledow announced the news to the players this morning at the team meeting.

Born and bred in Bethlehem in the Eastern Free State, Liebenberg played Varsity Cup rugby for UJ and had a spell at the Golden Lions in 2011 before making a move to Kimberley.

Engledow told OFM Sport that he planned to go with a different approach by naming Liebenberg as his side’s skipper.

“We’ve got a number of leaders that we could have relied on and looked at. We’ve taken our time during the first phase of our preseason,” said Engledow.

“We felt that we wanted to make an early decision as well and wanted to give the team someone to look to and respect and also give him a chance to build up leading into the start of the Currie Cup.

“We’ve gone with RJ Liebenberg, it’s now his third season working with me.

“He’s just a man with very strong values both on and off the field and I think he is a man that leads by example when he gets onto the field to play matches. So I’m very excited to work with him,” Engledow added about his new captain.

“I’m very confident in my selection of him as the Griquas captain going forward.”

The Peacock Blues will have three or four warm-up matches leading into their 2016 Currie Cup campaign.

The men from Kimberley tackle the Griffons on 9 April in their opening game.

Morgan Piek/OFM News