Griffons
Full nameGriffons
UnionGriffons Rugby Union
Emblem(s)Griffon
Founded1968
RegionPart of the Free State Province, South Africa
Ground(s)North West Stadium, Welkom (Capacity: 17,000)
Coach(es)Jacques Juries
Captain(s)Duann Pretoruis
League(s)Currie Cup Premier Division
2022Champions
1st on log
(Promoted to Premier Division)
Team kit
Official website
griffonsnfs.co.za
Current season

The Northern Free State Griffons (currently known as the Novavit Griffons for sponsorship reasons) are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup and Rugby Challenge tournaments. They play out of Welkom at North West Stadium, and draw players from roughly the eastern third of Free State Province (the remainder of the province comprises the territory of the Free State Cheetahs).

Players from the Griffons are eligible for selection to the Cheetahs Super Rugby team, along with players from the Free State Cheetahs and Griquas.

The team currently plays in the First Division of the Currie Cup, attracting crowds of around 4,000 to home games in at North West Stadium in Welkom. Their traditional rivals are the Free State Cheetahs and North West Province Leopards.

History

The Griffons rugby union was formed in 1968 when the late Dr Danie Craven, the president of SA rugby, had a vision to spread the game to rural areas in South Africa. The Griffons were one of four new provincial teams formed, originally known as Northern Free State (or Noord Vrystaat in Afrikaans).[1]

In 1996, with the start of professional rugby, the then South African rugby football union, under Louis Luyt, decided to re-divide the unions to have only 14 provinces in South Africa, with Northern Free State being one. The Eastern Free State province was incorporated into Northern Free State. In 1999, Northern Free State changed their name to the Griffons.

Honours

The team's major tournament wins include:

Current squad

The following players have been included in the Griffons squad for the 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division:[3]

Griffons Currie Cup squad

Props

  • South Africa Doctor Booysen
  • South Africa Stephan de Jager
  • South Africa Xolani Jacobs
  • South Africa Neo Mohapi
  • Kenya Hillary Mwanjilwa
  • South Africa Buhle Nojekwa

Hookers

Locks

  • South Africa Michael Benadie
  • South Africa Mitchell Carstens
  • South Africa Lungi Mbiko
  • South Africa Wikus Nieuwenhuis
  • South Africa Rian Olivier
  • Kenya Thomas Ongera
  • South Africa Dean-Jay Sheen
  • South Africa Curtley Thomas
  • South Africa Jaco Willemse

Loose forwards

  • South Africa Thato Mavundla
  • South Africa Jean-Jacques Pretorius
  • South Africa Ludio Williams
  • South Africa Soso Xakalashe

Scrum-halves

  • South Africa Richman Gora
  • South Africa Jaywinn Juries
  • South Africa Ethan Williams

Fly-halves

  • South Africa Jandré de Beer
  • South Africa Carl-Evert Pienaar
  • South Africa Duan Pretoruis (c)

Centres

Wingers

  • South Africa Donovan Don
  • South Africa Randall Fielies
  • South Africa Duren Hoffman
  • South Africa Granwill Matthys
  • South Africa Jamba Ulengo

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain.

References

  1. ↑ "Welcome to the Griffons Rugby Union". griffons-rugby.co.za. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Griffons thrash Eastern Province to win Currie Cup First Division title". The South African. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  3. ↑ "Currie Cup Team". Griffons. Retrieved 13 March 2023.


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