Cape Town - Griquas have received good and bad news ahead of their crucial Currie Cup clash against the Sharks in Durban.

Scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius will miss the trip to Durban after he injured his groin in last week's loss to the Pumas. However, with the bad news the union has also been boosted with the signing of Blue Bulls flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff for next season.

The Volksblad newspaper reports that Lionel Cronjé's decision to move from Western province to the Blue Bulls could have necessitated the move by Boshoff.

Boshoff hurt Griquas badly in a Vodacom Cup match earlier this year when he kicked 27 points to help the Blue Bulls sink Griquas in the semi-final.

"Marnitz really hurt us during that game. He is hungry to play and is a big asset," Griquas coach Abré Minnie told Volksblad.

However, Pretorius's injury could not have come at a worse time for the men from Kimberley.

They have to win all their remaining games to be in with a shout of making the semi-finals.

Minnie has already fallen back on some stalwarts up front. Hendrik Roodt has recovered from his arm injury and will form the lock combination with Frikkie Spies. Spies replaced Martin Muller - who is out for the season with torn ankle ligaments.

Justin Downey also replaced Marnus Schoeman at flank.

Marnus Hugo will take Pretorius's place at No 9, with Hanno Coetzee coming in on the bench.

Teams:

Sharks:
15 Stefan Terblanche, 14 Sibusiso Sithole, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Keegan Daniel (captain), 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Jacques Botes, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Eugene van Staden, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Dale Chadwick

Substitutes: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Ross Skeate, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Louis Ludik

Griquas:
15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Wilmaure Louw, 12 Matthew Rosslee, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Frikkie Spies, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Ivann Espag

Substitutes: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Steph Roberts, 18 Leon Karemaker, 19 Marnus Schoeman, 20 Hanno Coetzee, 21 Monty Dumond, 22 Rudi Vogt

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