The Suzuki Griquas will settle for nothing less than a win when they face the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in the final round of the SA Cup on Friday night.

The Griquas are already in the final even if the Griffons manage to beat the Pumas in Nelspruit with a bonus point.

The Griquas have made a handful of changes to the team that beat the SWD Eagles 75-43 win in Kimberley last week. Mnombo Zwelendaba, who scored a try off the bench on debut last week, earns his first start, while upfront, Connor Evans, who is on loan from the Stormers retains the number five jersey.

A win will ensure that the Peacock Blues get to host the final in Kimberley next week.

The Cheetahs cannot reach the final, but they will be looking to send off a couple of players on a high.

The Griquas coach, Pieter Bergh, told OFM Sport that for them there is a lot at stake in this derby.

“The Cheetahs versus Griquas is always a big game, even if you go back to Jacobsdal in the friendly we played a few months ago before the SA Cup, the intensity and the physicality of that game was what you expect between the two teams,” said Bergh.

“I think for them, there’s nothing to play for and that makes them really dangerous this week. They’re playing for Ruan Pienaar and will want to send him off with a win. But for us, it’s a big game.

“We believe we need to win to secure the final at home and we really want to host that game. So I don’t think it will be different to any of the derbies over the years. The last one we played against them in the Currie Cup we managed to draw in Bloemfontein.

“We expect a very tough game and we know that they’ll be at full strength this week, and they’ll be up for it to send Ruan away with a good performance.”Friday night’s derby between the Cheetahs and Griquas at Shimla Park kicks off at 18:00.

Cheetahs - 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Joose Nel, 11 Litha Nkula, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar (captain), 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Sibabalo Qoma, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Oupa Mohoje, 4 Pierre Uys, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Alulutho Tshakweni

Replacements – 16 Chucky van der Westhuizen, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Justin Forwood, 19 Sisonke Vumazonke, 20 Will Hickey, 21 Neel Volschenk, 22 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 23 Rewan Kruger

Griquas – 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Marcqiewn Titus, 13 Sango Xamlashe, 12 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 11 Sako Makata, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Thomas Bursey, 8 Carl Els, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Stephan Smit (captain), Connor Evans, 4 Athenkosi Khetani, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Leon Lyons

Replacements – 16 Gustav du Rand, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 Cebo Dlamini, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Albert Liebenberg, 21 Thabo Ndimande, 22 Bobby Alexander, 23 Lubabalo Dobela

Morgan Piek OFM Sport