Griquas vs Pumas
This match becomes a straight quarter final as the winner is guaranteed a semifinal spot while the loser will hope that the Sharks beat WP. Griquas were brilliant in their last match against WP while the Pumas also showed that they are on form with victory against the Cheetahs. It’s great that these smaller unions have a shot at the semis as they so often lose their best players to the bigger unions. Griquas have a fantastic home record and they will look to continue this form against the Pumas. Once again Griquas will look to the very impressive loose trio of Ruan Steenkamp, Hanru Sirgel and Gideon van der Merwe to get them over the line as all three got on the score sheet against WP. The Pumas will look to their powerful pack to give them the edge especially their rolling maul. This has been the source of most of their tries.
TIP: The coaches of both these sides deserve plenty of praise as they have turned a group of average players into players of the highest calibre. The Pumas know that their best chance of victory lies in them gaining forward dominance especially at scrum time. The Griquas have a weakness at scrum time and will need props Nqobisizwe Mxoli and Erich de Jager to stand up in this crucial match. The home ground advantage will favor Griquas as the hard Kimberly field makes it difficult for the visiting teams.The flyhalf battle between George Whitehead and Eddie Fouche will go a long way to deciding who wins this contest. Both these players are key to the way their teams attack and the way the defensive formations are set on the field. The bookies have the Griquas as favourites and I’m also tipping them for the victory. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Worldsportsbetting 1.65, Playabets 1.66 and Sunbet 1.62
HEAD TO HEAD STATS
Griquas vs Pumas
- In the last five meetings the Pumas have won three matches while the Griquas have won two.
- The home side has won the last three matches between the sides.
- The last time the Pumas won in Kimberly was in 2019.
Latest results for both teams
Griquas won their last match against WP 46-25 while the Pumas beat the Cheetahs 28-19.
PREDICTION
The Pumas have always been strong in the forwards but this season they have taken the rolling maul to new levels. They have been almost unstoppable with their maul and the man that has benefited the most is hooker Simon Westraadt. The elder statesmen of the side are amongst the leading try scorers in the Currie Cup. The Griquas on the other hand will need their maul defence to be at its best as it was in the last match. The home team has a dangerous backline led by arguably the player of the tournament Eduan Keyter and his wing partner James Verity-Amm. They also have Chris Hollis and Johnathan Francke in the midfield that are hard running physical centers that always get over the advantage line The desperation of both these sides will make this a close game but the home ground advantage makes me predict a Griquas win by less than 7 points.
- Probable Starting XVs
Griquas
15 Ashlon Davids, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Chris Hollis, 12 Johnathan Francke, 11 James Verity-Amm, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Ruan Steenkamp (captain), 7 Hanru Sirgel, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Stefan Willemse, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Erich de Jager, 2 Alandré van Rooyen, 1 Nqobisizwe Mxoli.
Pumas
15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastián de Klerk, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Matt More, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Eddie Fouche, 9 Ginter Smuts, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Phumzile Maqondwana, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Pieter van Vuuren (captain), 4 Shane Kirkwood, 3 Marné Coetzee, 2 Simon Westraadt, 1 Dewald Maritz.
Odds for this bet
The best odds on the Griquas victory are as follows:
Worldsportsbetting 1.65
Playabets 1.66
Sunbet 1.62
Odds comparison on the Griquas handicap victory:
The complete odds on the Griquas handicap victory:
Worldsportsbetting (-3.5) 1.90
Sunbet (-3.5) 1.87
Playabets (-2.5) 1.87
Predictions and Odds in details
The most impressive aspect of both these teams is the great interplay of forwards and backs and this makes for exciting matches. This match however we can expect to see a lot more kicking and the Griquas have the edge as both Whitehead and Stefan Ungerer are excellent at controlling the game with their kicking from hand. The Pumas rely on scrum dominance and if the Griquas can get parity in this department then they are well on the way to victory. The Pumas also have dangerous back line players like Devon Williams and Etienne Taljaard. Both these men love counter attacking as they have extreme pace therefore the kicking game of Griquas will need to be accurate. Punters can get decent returns on the Griquas outright victory but I suggest the home team on the handicap victory. The best odds on this bet are as follows: Worldsportsbetting (-3.5) 1.90, Sunbet (-3.5) 1.87 and Playabets (-2.5) 1.87
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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.
