Griquas coach Abré Minnie has been forced to make major changes to his backline for the Currie Cup match against Western Province at in Kimberley on Saturday, with Riaan Viljoen playing at flyhalf.
According to the Griquas official website injuries to inside backs Earl Rose and Barry Geel have forced Minnie to shift a couple of players around, and Viljoen's versatility will be tested when he lines up outside livewire scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius in the place of Rose who has been named on the bench despite nursing a shoulder injury.
Both centres who made such an impression against the Cheetahs last week - Geel and Jean Stemmet - have been sidelined due to injury with Stemmet named on the bench and Geel missing out altogether.
This has presented an opportunity for a new centre pairing of Hanno Coetzee and Wilmaure Louw to stampt their authority on Marcel Brache and Johann Sadie who are playing in the midfield for the visiting team.
Wing Rocco Jansen is fit after a second serious injury this season and starts on the right wing, while the other two outside backs - fullback Rudi Vogts and left wing Dusty Noble - retain their jerseys from last week.
Vogts' fitness was in doubt earlier in the week and his recovery from his hand injury will be a major relief for the Griquas as his accurate kicking will surely be central to their hopes of making it four wins from five homes games this season.
Despite the major disruptions to the backline Minnie has been able to name an unchanged forward pack after hooker Ryno Barnes was cleared after a rib injury sustained last weekend.
Griquas: 15 Rudi Vogt, 14 Rocco Jansen, 13 Wilmaure Louw, 12 Hanno Coetzee, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Riaan Viljoen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Ivann Espag.
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Steph Roberts, 18 Frikkie Spies, 19 Marnus Schoeman, 20 Marnus Hugo, 21 Jean Stemmet, 22 Earl Rose.
Date: Saturday, September 3
Venue: GWK Park, Kimberley
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius Jonker
Assistant Referees: Lourens van der Merwe, DeGoede Haasbroek
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee
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