Griquas vs Cheetahs
The neighbors clash in this encounter so you can expect fireworks in this derby match. Griquas showed a lot of potential in their last match against the Sharks and can count themselves unlucky to lose. The Cheetahs will be playing their first match in the Currie Cup but will need to be ready otherwise Griquas could shock them. Griquas dominated at scrum time against the Sharks and I’m certain they will target the Cheetahs in this area. The general of this Griquas team is George Whitehead and he led them superbly in their first match and he is an accurate kicker out of hand and even more deadly of the tee. The Cheetahs will need to be disciplined or else he will punish them. The Cheetahs are led by the ever green Ruan Pienaar and he will need to use his vast experience to guide this young Cheetahs team. This is a great opportunity for Griquas to get one over their more fancied neighbors. The Cheetahs have been for years taking the best talent from Kimberly and this could be payback time for the Griquas. The Cheetahs are a team that loves to throw the ball around and run at the opposition but this could back fire if they are not accurate as the Griquas have players with loads of pace. Their back three of Eduan Keyter, Masixole Banda and Daniel Kasende pose a real danger especially with turnover ball. The Griquas, so often their forwards were their Achilles heel but this season it looks to be much improved and if they can get the better of the Cheetahs pack then they could spring an upset in this match.
TIP: The Cheetahs have lost a host of experienced players and Frans Steyn to the Boks so they have recruited from the Varsity Cup. These youngsters will need time before they are used to the level of Currie Cup. Griquas must target the inexperienced players and Whitehead must control where the game is played. An underrated player is Stefan Ungerer as he is well travelled and very experienced. The battle between the number 9s will be fascinating as they both are quality players. Griquas must make better use of their possession as they had enough ball against the Sharks but kept making errors or taking the wrong decisions. The bookies have Cheetahs as favourites for this match but I think the Griquas will cause an upset in this game. The best odds on the Griquas win are as follows: Worldsportsbetting 2.70 and Playabets 2.70
HEAD TO HEAD STATS
Griquas vs Cheetahs
- The Cheetahs have won the last four encounters between the sides.
- The last time the Griquas beat the Cheetahs was in 2016.
- The away team has won 6 of the last 8 meetings.
Latest results for both teams
Griquas lost their last match against the Sharks 30-16 while the Cheetahs lost their last game against the Griquas 23-19.
PREDICTION
Griquas and Cheetahs both use their driving maul as great attacking weapons and will be interesting to see who can execute their maul better. The Griquas will have the advantage in the scrum and if they can win scrum penalties then we could see them kick to the corner to unleash the maul. The Cheetahs will look to stalwart Clayton Blommetjies to launch from the back as he is brilliant at counter attacking. The Griquas number 8 and skipper Ruan Steenkamp was rampant in the last match and will want to continue in this form. The team that wins the forwards battle win this match and I fancy the Griquas to have the edge in this department. This is the reason I’m predicting a Griquas win by 5 points.
- Probable Starting XVs
Griquas
15 Masixole Banda, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Ederies Arendse, 12 Andre Swarts, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Ruan Steenkamp (captain), 7 Sibabalo Qoma, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Cameron Lindsay, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Andries Schutte, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Andrew Beerwinkel.
Cheetahs
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Tian Meyer, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruan Pienaar (captain), 8 Gideon van Wyk, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Jean Droste, 5 Rynier Bernardo, 4 Victor Sekekete, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Wilmar Arnoldi, 1 Cameron Dawson
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Griquas victory are as follows:
Worldsportsbetting 2.70
Playabets 2.70
Odds comparison on the Griquas handicap:
The complete odds on the Griquas handicap:
Worldsportsbetting (+4.5) 1.90
Playabets (+3.5) 1.80
Predictions and Odds in details
The Cheetahs will look to get their campaign off to a winning start while the Griquas will be desperate not to start their season with two home defeats. The chances of making the playoffs are almost zero if you lose your home games. The Griquas will be hungrier for victory and you can expect them to come out all guns blazing. The player that impressed most for the Griquas was Eduan Keyter and the winger scored an amazing solo try. The Cheetahs must avoid giving him space otherwise he will make them pay. The key difference between the sides will be at halfback where I feel Whitehead and Ungerer will dictate the flow of the game. There are great odds on the Griquas upset victory while the safe bet is the Griquas on the handicap. The best odds on the Griquas handicap are as follows: Worldsportsbetting (+4.5) 1.90 and Playabets (+3.5) 1.80
Sports crazy fan that follows all major sport but the game with the oval ball is my real passion. Was an age level rugby coach and a huge supporter of the Springboks and diehard Liverpool man. I’m an experienced punter and sports writer whose predictions/tips are sure to stir up the emotions. I love the occasional wager on the underdog.