Griquas have to up their game in the Currie Cup
Also far to many errors on attack were made and our breakdown was a nightmare, as we were unable to apply enough pressure on them, and we were somewhat impatient on attack,” he said.
Frans said that the Currie Cup is a beast of a different nature, with no room for carelessness. “We conceded way too easy soft tries and you must realise that the margin for error in the Currie Cup is very small. You get punished for your mistakes.”
One bitterly disappointed Griquasupporter interviewed after the match told the DFA that the loss quite unfairly reflects badly on the coach. “Poor Peter (Engledow), now the doubters have more ammo against him; but if the hooker selected cannot throw the ball in accurately, as has been the case during the two weeks prior to the game, then the selectors must be questioned.
“Another problem the Griquas obviously have was taking the ball from high up-and-unders, as one or two of the players had a problem with the high ball.”
Griquas have their homework assignment clearly spelled out for them; and they need to work extra hard ahead of Friday’s clash in Johannesburg.
CURRIE CUP ROUND ONE RESULTS AND SCORERS
CHEETAHS ........................................... 34 (7) BLUE BULLS ........................................... 12 (7)
Tries: Joseph Dweba, Shaun
CHEETAHS,
Venter.
Conversion: Tian Schoeman.
Tries: Manie Libbok, Penalty try, Jade Stiglingh, Divan Rossouw. Conversions: Libbok (3).
Penalties: Libbok (2).
BLUE BULLS,
PUMAS ................................................ 42 (13) GRIQUAS ............................................. 19 (7)
Tries: Chris Smith, Hennie Skorbinski, Stefan Ungerer, Neil Maritz, Marnus Schoeman.
Conversions: Smith (4).
Penalties: Smith (3).
Tries: AJ Coertzen, Tiaan Meyer, Conway Pretorius.
Conversions: George Whitehead (2).
PUMAS, GRIQUAS,
THE THREE-TIME champions in the last six years as well as the winners in 2015 get their respective Currie Cup challenges under way this weekend.
After a rather low-key start to the 2018 edition of the competition – which is now in its 80th season – Western Province and the Lions play their first games this weekend, as do the Sharks, winners in 2013.
Western Province won the title last year, in 2014 and in 2012 of the last six campaigns, while the Lions won it in 2015.
Western Province are at home to Free State, who struggled in Bloemfontein last Friday and eventually went down 34-12 to the Blue Bulls, while the Robert du Preez’s Sharks host the men from Pretoria.
The Lions get going against Griquas, who disappointed in their opening tie against the Pumas in Nelspruit.
Much is expected of the Lions this year with a number of Super Rugby stars available for selection.
Andries Coetzee, Courtnall Skosan
Madosh Tambwe and Dillon Smit will all be in action over the coming weeks, and maybe a number of Junior Bok stars as well, like Wandisile Simelane, Tyrone Green, Manny Rass and Gianni Lombard.
The Lions are under a new head coach, in Cash van Rooyen, who takes over from Swys de Bruin, who is acting as an attack consultant with the Boks.
He’ll be supported by Super Rugby assistants Philip Lemmer, Neil de
Bruin and Joey Mongalo.
The good news for the Lions is they will also be able to call on Warren Whiteley, Lionel Mapoe and Elton Jantjies through the course of the season, if they are not involved with the Springboks, as all three of them have ended their associations with their Japanese clubs.
Unavailable though because of Japanese club commitments are Kwagga Smith, Lourens Erasmus,
Ruan Combrinck and Harold Vorster.
The Pumas have a bye this weekend after their opening win.