Griquas coach wields heavy axe

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Griquas coach Scott Mathie made a rash of changes for his team's Round Nine Currie Cup trip to Pretoria on Wednesday.

The team to face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld shows 11 changes from the side that lost 42-456 to the Lions in Kimberley last Friday.

That result ended a three-match winning streak - which included beating Western Province, the Lions and Sharks.

In the backline changes Ashlon Davids starts at fullback in place of Tinus de Beer, Eduan Keyter moves from left wing to the right wing in place of Ederies Arendse, Chris Hollis and Jonathan Francke are the centre combination in place of Michael Haznar and André Swarts, Keyter's place on the left wing is taken by Enver Brandt.

Captain Ruan Steenkamp moves from No.8 to openside flank, replacing Gideon van der Merwe, with Hanru Sirgel starting at No.8.

Luyolo Dapula is the blindside flank in place of Sibabalo Qoma, Cameron Lindsay is the No.5 lock and Stefan Willemse moves to No.4 - with Adre Smith out of the matchday 23.

Alandre van Rooyen is the starting hooker, with Janco Uys dropping down to the replacement bench.

Griquas: 15 Ashlon Davids, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Chris Hollis, 12 Johnathan Francke, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Hanru Sirgel, 7 Luyolo Dapula, 6 Ruan Steenkamp (captain), 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Janu Botha, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Nqobisizwe Mxoli.

Replacements - from: 16 Janco Uys, 17 Andrew Kuhn, 18 Erich de Jager, 19 Jeandré Leonard, 20 Gideon van der Merwe, 21 Raegan Oranje, 22 Andre Swarts, 23 Ederies Arendse, 24 Andrew Beerwinkel, 25 Johan Momsen, 26 Theo Boshoff.

Date: Wednesday, August 11

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 16.45 (14.45 GMT)

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge

Assistant referees: Local

TMO: Egon Seconds