Minnow scraps will be vital

Minnow scraps will be vital

3 Jul 2006

Griquas will be taking nothing for granted against a battered Valke side when they head to Brakpan on Saturday.

“I suppose we understand better than anybody how a team can come back from a heavy defeat,” Griquas captain Gareth Krause told keo.co.za.

After a shaky start, Griquas turned up the heat in the second half against the Pumas and ran out comfortable winners at 60-26. A week earlier, they had suffered a humiliating 55-14 defeat at the hands of the Currie Cup champions, the Cheetahs.

“It is quite a turn around,” said Krause, “and it goes to show how we will not be taking the Valke lightly this Saturday.”

When the Pumas rushed to a 19-3 advantage in the first 25 minutes last Friday, it seemed that Griquas would be on the wrong side of yet another beating.

“We were stressing out in the first 20 or so minutes when they really came at us,” said Krause. “But I didn’t even have to say anything to my boys, they just got on with it. They realised what they needed to do to get back into the game.”

Lafras Uys was the first to initiate the Griquas fightback when he went over for the first try to the homeside. Before the halftime whistle, Griquas had added a further two tries and were within three points of the Valke at 23-26.

Inspired by flyhalf Conrad Barnard, the galvanising force in the midfield, the Griquas team destroyed the Pumas in the second half, scoring 37 unanswered points and crossing the Pumas line a further four times.

“We really clicked in that second period, and I think that the scoreline is a true reflection of how we played. We are beginning to gel as a side.”

For the minnows of this premier division competition, points are going to be hard to come by, and so specific strategies will need to be formulated if they are going to have a sniff at a playoff spot. Winning against other minnow opposition is going to be non-negotiable.

“We understand the importance of winning all your home games in this strength versus strength competition. We managed to win in Kimberley, and we’ve now built up some momentum for our next game in Brakpan where we plan to come away with four more points.”

By Jon Cardinelli


17 Comments

  • 1.Chuck Norris: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:23 pm

    WP to win the CC.

  • 2.kaballas: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:28 pm

    Griekwas vir die semis!

  • 3.asha1: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:29 pm

    wp vs lions final :)

  • 4.suparugby: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:31 pm

    wp vs lions vir houtlepel…

  • 5.sarky: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:41 pm

    Lions to learn how to come back, again and again.

  • 6.kaballas: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:44 pm

    1.cheetahs
    2.bulls
    3.sharks
    4.griekwas

  • 7.Chuck Norris: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:49 pm

    Griekwas is over rated and under paid.

  • 8.Ig: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:52 pm

    Don’t see any difference between the Pumas getting thumped, should have let the Spears play.

  • 9.pale_toe: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 15:52 pm

    Looks like Chuck Norris changed the English language without telling anyone again.

  • 10.Lemoen: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 16:04 pm

    Olifante en SWD het in hul kanon verloor en so ook gaan Grens nou as hulle mekaar se beste spelers gaan laat saam speel so genaamd die SPEARS dink ek gaan hulle in hul moer verloor ek kan nie dink dat hulle enige iets kan beteken nie!! Hoekom laat hulle nie al die BOKKIES o/21s wat nieplek kry in hul provinsies nie in PE gaan laat rugby speel en laat Pieter de Villiers hulle dan afrig daar en dan kan spelers soos bv Paul Delport wat die nr 3 skrumskakel is by WP daar gaan speel en soos wat n provinsie spelers kort kan hulle die spelers leen of wat ook al, die punt wat ek wil maak Olifante SWD EN GRENS is swak so vat die o/21s PE toe en behou hulle as wat hulle nou net weer gaan vedwyn!! Kyk bv vir Dewey Swartbooi hy het onder Jake skiterend gespeel op senter toe die o/21s werelbeker gewen het en kyk waar is hy nou? Laas wat ek gehoor het sukkel hy om plek in die leeus se span te kry!

  • 11.Beertjie: Reply to this comment
    3 Jul 2006, 16:12 pm

    Daar is net een kwas: Griekwas!

  • 12.Koos: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2006, 05:30 am

    eehhh Beertjie, jy mis uit, daar is heelwat meer kwaste…

  • 13.tackler_of_note: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2006, 07:40 am

    Check post 540 in blackout story for something interesting

  • 14.tackler_of_note: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2006, 08:04 am

    http://www.dieburger.com/Stories/News/11.0.812213892.aspx

  • 15.Sampioenman: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2006, 08:11 am

    Since 15:21 yesterday no new thread… SWAK! Ons soek nuus!!!!

    Jon, Ig, Andrew, Keo, Simon!!!!!!

  • 16.Drunkmonkey: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2006, 08:12 am

    Jy wil nuus **** ….. die bulle gaan curriebekker wen en spears gaan in opskuding veroorsaak want die hof gaan se hulle is geregteg om curriebekker te speel.

  • 17.Koos: Reply to this comment
    4 Jul 2006, 08:20 am

    NUUS Drunkmonkey, nie stront nie!

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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