Griquas (rugby)

Griquas
Full name Griquas
Union Griqualand West Rugby Union
Nickname(s) Poubloues (Peacock Blues)
Emblem(s) Oryx
Founded 1886
Region Northern Cape Province, South Africa
Ground(s) Griqua Park (Capacity: 11,000[1])
Coach(es) Peter Engledow
Captain(s) RJ Liebenberg
League(s) Currie Cup
2016 Currie Cup Premier Division 6th
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.griquasrugby.co.za
Current season

Griquas are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. Their home ground is Griqua Park in Kimberley and they draw their players mostly from Northern Cape Province. They have won the Currie Cup three times – in 1899, 1911 and 1970 – and the Vodacom Cup a joint-record five times.

History

The rugby team was established in 1886 in the former British colony of Griqualand West. Five years later, during the 1891 British Lions tour to South Africa, Griqualand West played the British Lions in Kimberley and although they lost 3–0, the British presented them with the Currie Cup, as they thought that Griqualand West produced the best performance out of the provincial games on their tour.[2] The Currie Cup became South Africa's domestic prize, and Griqualand West first won it in 1899. Griqualand West subsequently won the Currie Cup in 1911. After the introduction of official annual championships in 1969, Griqualand West won the final the next season, defeating Northern Transvaal 11–9 to claim their third title. Since then, Griquas have not won the Currie Cup.[3]

The majority of Griquas supporters hail from the Northern Cape province of South Africa, most notably in and around Kimberley where the team plays their home games. Their tradition rivals are Western Province, a rivalry that stems back to the earliest days of the Currie Cup when Griqualand West were a dominant force in South African rugby. Since the 1970s, a friendly rivalry has also developed with neighbours the Free State Cheetahs in what has become known as the 'central derby'. Griquas are nicknamed the "Peacock Blues".[4]

Current squad

The following players are contracted to Griquas for 2017:

2017 Griquas squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose Forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped.
  1. 1 2 3 Alshaun Bock, Rudi van Rooyen and Mzwanele Zito are on loan to the Kings Super Rugby team.
  2. ↑ Clinton Swart is on loan the Cheetahs Super Rugby team.

Finals results

Currie Cup

Season Winners Score Runner-up Venue
18991 Griqualand West n/a n/a n/a
1911 Griqualand West n/a n/a n/a
1970 Griqualand West 11 - 9 Northern Transvaal De Beers, Kimberley

Notes

1 Western Province and Transvaal did not compete.

Vodacom Cup

Season Winners Score Runner-up Venue
1998 Griquas 33 - 29 Blue Bulls Kimberley
2005 Griquas 27 - 25 Leopards Kimberley
2007 Griquas 57 - 0 Golden Lions Kimberley
2009 Griquas 28 - 19 Blue Bulls Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
2014 Griquas 30 - 6 Golden Lions Griqua Park, Kimberley

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://152.111.11.6/argief/berigte/volksblad/2011/11/02/NK/8/nkgriekwas.html
  2. ↑ "Absa Currie Cup undergoes ultimate makeover". Bulls. 8 August 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Currie Cup Finals History". SuperSport. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  4. ↑ "Lions storm to victory over Griquas". SuperSport. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
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