Griquas gets some muscle back
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Griquas flank Gideon van der Merwe has recovered from injury and was named in a reshuffled starting XV for their Currie Cup away match against Western Province side in Cape Town on Saturday.
Van der Merwe has successfully completed his injury recovery, from a head blow sustained in their home defeat in Kimberley against the Lions on 28 November, and returns to play in the No.6 jersey.
He comes back into the starting side and replaces Cyril Velleman who is now set to come off the bench.
The return of the loose forward is one of several changes to the forward pack, where a changed front row of Andrew Beerwinkel, Alandre van Rooyen and John-Roy Jenkins will start the match.
Their Round Four away match against the Bulls was cancelled because of COVID-19 measures, while their previous outing was a 17-22 loss to the Pumas in Nelspruit on December 4.
Skipper Zak Burger and his teammates are set to have their captain's run on Christmas morning before boarding a flight to Cape Town later in the day.
The winless Kimberley outfit has come very close to victory in their previous matches and they will be determined to deliver a good performance against Siya Kolisi and his WP side on their home turf.
Griquas: 15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Berton Klaasen, 12 Andre Swarts, 11 Enver Brandt, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Zak Burger (captain), 8 Johan Momsen, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Adre Smith, 3 John-Roy Jenkinson, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Replacements - from: 16 Hendrick Luus, 17 Nqobisizwe Mxoli, 18 Tijde Visser, 19 Ewan Coetzee, 20 Sibabalo Qoma, 21 Cyril Velleman, 22 Ashlon Davids, 23 Daniel Kasende, 24 Bandisa Ndlovu, 25 Raegan Oranje.
Date: Saturday, December 26
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 16.30 (14.30 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Divan Uys
TMO: Joey Klaaste-Salmans