Griguas v Province - who's best-placed to win SRC semifinal?

On the face of it the favourites of the first SuperSport Rugby Challenge semifinal, between the Tafel Lager Griquas and the DHL Western Province, the latter should be the favourites as the team aligned with a Super Rugby franchise.

But things aren't always what they seem in the Rugby Challenge, so who will win? Two opposition coaches tell us.

TAFEL LAGER GRIQUAS V DHL WESTERN PROVINCE

SEAN ERASMUS (Xerox Golden Lions Coach)

Who do you think will win?

It's going to be a tough game both ways. Province are a very momentum-bound team and have a very good flyhalf, I worked with (group stages top points scorer) Abner van Reenen and he’s a very good player. But then Griquas are very good at executing their systems. Brent (Janse van Rensburg) is very thorough in how he goes through his systems. So it's going to be hard to pick a favourite there because they're two different teams but one thing they have in common is they're both going to be very physical and very good within their systems and planning. So I'm definitely on the fence on this one because I'm not a betting man!

Who's the actual favourite, the full-strength Currie Cup team or the Super Rugby franchise-aligned team?

The nice thing for Province is that (theoretically) they have a few (Super Rugby) players they can call on, but I don't see their squad from last week changing that much because the Stormers are also playing this weekend. The one thing that counts for Griquas is that they've had all this time to prepare together as a unit, Brent knows what he has and what he doesn't have available to him. And that's the challenge for the Super Rugby franchises playing in this competition, the team constantly changes to the needs of the Super Rugby side. That's a definite positive for Griquas because they're a Currie Cup side preparing for the Currie Cup and have been working together for quite some time.

What areas should Province target in Griquas' game?

You've got to take Griquas out of their comfort zone. Like I said they have good systems and they drive those systems almost religiously and to the point. So I'd want to show them a picture they haven't seen before because Brent and his coaching staff would have done a lot of homework on Province. So you'd want to take them out of that comfort zone where they feel they've seen everything you've got to offer. When we played them we tried to expose the space on the edges and out wide, and initially it worked and put pressure on them, but their strength showed in the second half when they adjusted well. So you have to show them a picture they haven't seen before and execute before they've figured it out.

TIGER MANGWENI (Border Bulldogs Coach)

Who do you think will win?

I think Griquas will win because if they put the Province side under pressure up front the youngsters in that pack will crack. If you can match Western Province's physicality and make their forwards work harder than they ever have you'll always find space on the rest of the pitch.

Who's the actual favourite, the full-strength Currie Cup team or the Super Rugby franchise-aligned team?

My favourites would be Griquas because their experience will help them. Also they are a team that has always done well in this competition by always getting into the semifinals – last year they lost the final against the Pumas. As a Currie Cup Premier Division this is a competition they can target, and they have done so well before.

What areas should Province target in Griquas' game?

They leave a lot of space around the fringes and in the pocket at the back of the rucks. Thanks to their line-speed they also give up space out wide. So the best way to attack them is both narrow and wide, and the Griquas team is good at keeping the ball close.