Lions to ‘strap up and take whatever artillery we have' for Feisty Cavaliers

TimesLIVE

3 days ago

The Lions have to strap themselves in for what coach Mziwakhe Nkosi predicts could be a bumpy ride against the Boland Cavaliers this weekend.
The teams clash in the Currie Cup in Wellington on Sunday and Nkosi is preparing his team for the twists and turns that have characterised the Cavaliers' opening two matches.
That the Cavaliers are a difficult team to put down was again evidenced in their 48-39 helter-skelter defeat to Griquas in Kimberley last Sunday. At home they are likely to be even more combative, as they showed in their opening round defeat of the Cheetahs in Wellington.
The Cavaliers, Nkosi warned, aren't only well stocked on the field.
A message from debutant Marno Grobbelaar after our victory over DHL Western Province this past weekend. #CurrieCup | #WhereChampionsRise | #ForOurCity #LionsPride 🦁 pic.twitter.com/G0MWfQADm3
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) August 4, 2025
'Chean Roux is helping out there and he's an astute coach. Hawies' [Fourie, head coach] success is well documented. Their defence guy Charl [Strydom] is also from the Cheetahs.
'They have players including Sbu Sangweni who spent lots of time here. We know him intimately and Ashlon Davids. David Brits, I coached against at school in his junior years at Western Province, and he's been part of the Sevens [Blitzboks].
'We've got to strap up and take whatever artillery we have. We are under no illusions that it will be a helluva game.'
Nkosi, who saw his team triumph at home against lesser experienced Sharks and Western Province line-ups, will not delve into the franchise's more prized resources for the trip to the Winelands.
'This is the group available to us. We will keep fighting with these guys and it would be nice to reward them a bit. There will be no cavalry,' Nkosi said.
In that spirit, part of Nkosi's brief is to build squad depth and in rookie hooker Marno Grobbelaar the coach believes the franchise has a player with a bright future.
'We are excited about Marno,' said Nkosi.
'He's a really physical guy. He's a guy who has come through the Lions' ranks nicely. He's a local boy and on a good pathway system with us.
'Hopefully we can give him one or two more opportunities under the tutelage of guys such as him,' said the coach while pointing to captain Jaco Visagie.
'He's probably a bit over-eager at times but he is a guy we are excited about. His frame and his physicality, that type of stuff.'
While the two teams have 10 points after two matches, the Lions trail the log-leading Bulls on points difference.