With the four sides having secured qualification for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division following the completion of the league phase, attention now shifts to the weekend’s two playoff games to see who will fight it out next week in the final of the SA Cup.
In Saturday’s second semi-final in Kimberley, Suzuki Griquas go into their playoff with two SA Cup victories against the Toyota Cheetahs. While the 2023 result was a comfortable 39-17 win in Bloemfontein, last week’s final league encounter between the two Central South African sides finished in a 31-29 win for the hosts in the Diamond City, thanks to two late tries.
Meanwhile, Pieter Bergh’s Griquas team will feel confident of a repeat against their close rivals, while Frans Steyn’s rebuilt Toyota Cheetahs side will be determined to go one step better and reach their first SA Cup final, dethroning the defending champions in the process.
The winners of the weekend’s two semi-finals will contest next weekend’s SA Cup final.
The match at the Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley kicks off at 15:00 and will be streamed live onto DSTV OTT channel 951 (app and website).
Director of Rugby and Head Coach of the Toyota Cheetahs, Frans Steyn, announced his team with four changes in the backline from the last week’s game. The wings are Michael Annies and Prince Nkabinde and centres are Ali Mgijima and Carel-Jan Coetzee.
Toyota Cheetahs v Griquas
15. Tiaan Swanepoel
14. Prince Nkabinde
13. Carel-Jan Coetzee
12. Ali Migijima
11. Michael Annies
10. George Lourens
9. Jandre Nel
8. Jeandre Rudolph
7. Pierre Uys
6. Gideon van der Merwe
5. Victor Sekekete
4. Pieter Jansen van Vuren
3. Aranos Coetzee
2. Louis van der Westhuizen (C )
1. Hencus van Wyk
16. Vernon Paulo
17. Cameron Dawson
18. Robert Hunt
19. Sisonke Vumazonke
20. Daniel Maartens
21. Raegan Oranje
22. Rewan Kruger
23. Cohen Jasper
The referee for the match is Dylen November.
Players not available:
The following players are not eligible for team selection due to injury: Ethan Wentzel (back), Munier Hartzenberg (hamstring), Andell Loubser (hip), Litha Nkula (thigh), Clayton Blommetjies (calf), Carl Wegner (hamstring), James-Verity Amm (flu), Marco Jansen van Vuren (hip)
