Currie Cup 2019: Lions v Griquas Preview

The Griquas will be looking to cause an upset when they travel to Johannesburg to take on the Golden Lions on Saturday the 31st of August.

The Lions and Griquas will square off for the second time in the space of seven days when they collide in the second of this weekend’s Currie Cup semi-finals. The hosts will be full of confidence having beaten the Griquas 26-27 at Tafel Lager Park last Saturday.

Lions v Griquas
Saturday 31 August
Emirates Airline Park
17:15

To Win (80 Mins)
Lions
Draw
Griquas

Handicap
Lions
Griquas

Lions
The Lions will be looking to book themselves their first Currie Cup final since 2015 when they host the Griquas this Saturday.

Joburg’s Pride have produced a solid campaign this term finishing the regular season in second place with four wins from their six round-robin phase fixtures. This is made all the more impressive when you consider they were missing a number of their big guns including Warren Whiteley and Andries Coetzee.

This young Lions side has really stepped up to the plate this term with backs Tyrone Green and Wandisile Simelane enjoying stellar seasons.

While the Lions do head into this one with a psychological edge having beaten the Griquas last weekend, they may well need to put in a more polished performance as they were slightly lucky to register that narrow victory having gone into something of a slumber in the second-half of last weekend’s clash.

Griquas
It’s extremely unfortunate that the Griquas lost last weekend as Tafel Larger Park would have been rocking had the local boys booked a home semi-final. Nevertheless, a semi-final appearance is a massive coup for the men from Griqualand considering they have nowhere near the financial clout as the big unions.

Like the Lions, the Griquas enjoyed a solid round-robin phase winning four of their six games with their only defeats coming at the hands of the Griquas and Lions.

While an away semi-final is far from ideal, the Griquas will still fancy their chances as they have produced some big results away from home this term beating the Sharks in Durban and the Bulls in Pretoria.

Verdict: Lions 
I think the dream is well and truly over for the Griquas. Had they been playing at home I would have fancied their chances but I simply cannot see them beating the Lions in Johannesburg.