THE Down Touch Griffons will start the defense of their Absa Currie Cup First Division championship title by hosting the Boland Cavaliers in Welkom on Saturday (29/08).
The Welkom boys won the prestigious title last year after a hard-fought 23-21 win over the Valke in the final, staged in Welkom.
With the team closing last season on a positive note, the home supporters will expect it to win in Saturday’s tough opening fixture against the visitors from the Western Province.
The Griffons are expected to improve on their form this time around, after failing to make the grade to compete in the Premier Division of the Absa Currie Cup. The local lads lost the race via the qualifier play-offs to the Griquas.
The Griffons managed to record two wins in the Premier Division Currie Cup qualifiers.
Starting with the opening fixture against Boland, the hosts can hope they regain the momentum that saw them go all the way to win the championship in October last year.
For this mission, the host should pin its hopes on tried and tested players. These include the likes of Louis Strydom, Vuyo Mbotho, Wynand Pienaar, Francois du Toit and Martin Sithole.
They were instrumental in the team’s run in both the Absa Cup qualifier and the Vodacom Cup.
Sithole’s versatility saw him score a hattrick of tries in the Vodacom Cup tournament. He was a key member of the Griffons 2014 Currie Cup First Division winning team
