The Griquas edged the Toyota Cheetahs 25-22 in Jacobsdal on Saturday afternoon in a SA Cup warm-up match at Landboudal.

The Griquas fielded quite a strong team for the practise match while the Cheetahs opted to field a team made up of largely fringe players, especially in the backline.

The Griquas were the first on the board with the centre, Sango Xamlashe, dotting down while the flanker Thabo Ndimande also crossed the whitewash.

The Cheetahs replied with the scrumhalf Rewan Kruger and flyhalf Abner van Reenen scoring tries to trail 15-12 at the half-time break.

In the second stanza the Cheetahs flanker Gideon van der Merwe and winger, Sibabalo Xamlashe (brother of Sango Xamlashe), also scored tries. While for the Griquas the replacement hooker, Janco Uys, crossed the whitewash.

The big difference in the warm-up game came via the boot of Lubabalo Dobela and George Whitehead who were better off the tee.

The Cheetahs coach, Izak van der Westhuizen, told OFM Sport that despite the scoreline not suggesting it, it was a good hit-out by his team.

“Many of the guys have not played since September last year,” said Van der Westhuizen.

“There are aspects of our game we have to work on, but there are mostly positives from our side.

“We gave a lot of new players game time to familiarise them with the system.”

The Cheetahs will kick-off their SA Cup campaign on 22 March against the Boland Cavaliers at the Toyota Stadium.

Scorers:

Cheetahs: Tries - Rewan Kruger, Abner van Reenen, Gideon van der Merwe, Sibabalo Xamlashe Conv. - Van Reenen

Griquas: Tries - Sango Xamlashe, Thabo Ndimande, Janco Uys Conv. - Lubabalo Dobela, George Whitehead Pen. - Dobela, Whitehead

Teams:

Cheetahs - 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Andell Loubser, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Sibabalo Xamlashe, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Mzwanele Zito, 4 Friedle Olivier, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Chucky van der Westhuizen (captain), 1 Schalk Ferreira

Replacements - 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Laurence Victor, 19 Thabang Mahlasi, 20 Ulrich Stander, 21 James Verity-Amm, 22 Litha Nkula, 23 Christiaan van der Westhuizen

Griquas - 15 George Whitehead, 14 Marcqiewn Titus, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Bingo Ivanisevic, 11 Sako Makata, 10 Lubabalo Dobela, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Carl Els, 7 Stephan Smit (captain), 6 Thabo Ndimande, 5 Albert Liebenberg, 4 Athenkosi Khethani, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Sean Swart, 1 Kudzwai Dube.

Replacements - 16 Janco Uys, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Junior Banda, 19 Johan Retief, 20 Niel Otto, 21 Jac van der Walt, 21 Xavier Swartbooi, 22 Jay-Cee Nel, 23 Connor Mahoney, 24 Cameron

Morgan Piek OFM Sport