Johannesburg – With the Golden Lions sitting pretty in second place on the Currie Cup log they will be careful to underestimate the Griquas in Saturday's clash in Kimberley.
Lions captain Lionel Mapoe said on Tuesday that they would handle the Griquas with kid gloves on at their home ground in the Northern Cape.
“It is always tough going down there, it is not going to be easy, the boys know that and Griquas would want to prove a point that they belong in the Currie Cup Premier Division,” Mapoe said.
“It is going to be a tough two weeks, the guys must just absorb that pressure and keep the pressure on them (Griquas). Going down there we know we have a job to do and just stay focussed.”
Meanwhile, promising Golden Lions centre Howard Mnisi will be given a starting berth against his former team.
He moves into the run-on side at the expense of Stokkies Hanekom, who moves to the bench, while Ross Cronje replaces Ricky Schroeder at scrumhalf.
Mapoe, who will be Mnisi's midfield partner, believed the former Griquas player should be up for the task.
“I'm sure Howard is going to want to play a good game against Griquas and show them a thing or two and I am happy to have him as my centre partner,” he said.
Lions assistant coach Swys de Bruin echoed Mapoe's sentiments and added that it was just reward for his hard work.
In the forwards, prop Jacques van Rooyen and flank Warwick Tecklenburg will both start the match in place of Schalk van der Merwe and Kwagga Smith respectively.
Meanwhile, Marnitz Boshoff has recovered from his injury and will look to make an appearance off the wood this weekend.
“It is nice to have a Springbok back and he comes back with authority and you feel his presence but I must say Jaco van der Walt has done well,” De Bruin said about Boshoff's return.
A victory for the Lions would increase their chances of claiming a home semifinal with three rounds of matches remaining before the playoffs.
Griquas in turn will be desperate to move away from the bottom two places on the log where they would be forced to play in the qualifying competition for next year's Currie Cup.
Golden Lions team: Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe (captain), Howard Mnisi, Courtnall Skosan, Jaco van der Walt, Ross Cronje, Willie Britz, Warwick Tecklenburg, Jaco Kriel, Franco Mostert, Martin Muller, Ruan Dreyer, Armand van der Merwe, Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: Robbie Coetzee, Schalk van der Merwe/Julian Redelinghuys, Derick Minnie, Kwagga Smith, Mark Richards, Marnitz Boshoff, Stokkies Hanekom. – Sapa