The Suzuki Griquas are expecting nothing less than a tough campaign in the Currie Cup and they will get a taste of it on Friday when they tackle the Pumas in Kimberley in the opening game.

The SA Cup and Airlink Cup champions beat the Pumas in both of the respective finals, but they are well aware that the Currie Cup will take it to a different level.

The Griquas will have a lot of confidence after an unbeaten SA Cup campaign, while they will also take a lot of momentum into the competition.

The Griquas coach, Pieter Bergh, told OFM Sport that they take some good momentum into the Currie Cup, but they do realise that it will be a much tougher competition.

“We went unbeaten in the Airlink Cup, unbeaten in the SA Cup, so we couldn't really, to be honest, ask for better preparation,” said Bergh.

“We gave a lot of players in the team and our whole squad enough game time in the SA Cup to now know who's our first choice, second choice and third choice players in our group.

“I think we're going in with momentum, while we're also going in with confidence and belief. We also know that that is a much tougher competition than the Airlink and SA Cup.

“It's a competition where everybody, the big unions and the Cheetahs will be much better. The Pumas have brought in a few guys and they've got a few players back from injury. At the big unions there are a lot of youngsters who've been looking for game time now for a while.

“The Lions have a really good young team, they brought in players from the Cheetahs and from elsewhere, who will probably play in the Currie Cup for them. Western Province has got a lot of good players, guys like Connor Evans and Sazi Sandi who played for us in the SA Cup.

So, it's a much, much different competition.

Friday’s Currie Cup opener between the Griquas and Pumas at the Suzuki Stadium kicks off at 15:00.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport