Pote can't un(lock) second row crisis

Griquas' world-wide search for quality locks made a stop-over in Potchefstroom this week, as coach Pote Human struggles to resolve his second row crisis.

Human revealed on Monday that they have contracted Victor Kruger from the Leopards for the remainder of the Currie Cup season.

This follows in the wake of the arm fracture that will rule Springbok Hilton Lobberts out for the next three months.

Lobberts suffered the injury in the 20-40 loss to the Free State Cheetahs last Saturday.

Human is also anxiously waiting for the outcome of the disciplinary hearing of his Australian import, lock Rory Arnold, on Tuesday.

The tall second row forward (208cm), who was recruited from the Gold Coast Breakers club in the Queensland region,  is being accused of biting after he received a red card in the 63rd minute of Griquas encounter with Cheetahs at the weekend.

"It is our fifth lock," Human told this website, when asked about the injury crisis facing his team.

Injuries have already robbed them of stalwart Rynhardt Landman, who will be out for another six weeks after he fractured his thumb in the first game against the Sharks in Durban. At a push he might be able to play in the final round of Currie Cup action.

Jaco Nepgen is out for at least another two weeks, after he re-injured his shoulder against Western Province in Round Three.

Jonathan Adendorf was hospitalised and will miss the rest of the season after he got stabbed in a mugging after the Province game.

"Here at Griquas it is very tough," Human told this website, adding: "You don't just find a quality lock anywhere.

"We don't have the junior structures or club system where we can go find a player of that [Currie Cup] quality.

"We have been scouting around and we will wait for Tuesday's disciplinary hearing before we make a call," he said of his problems in the second row.

Human last week already included young club lock Patrick O'Brien in his matchday squad for their clash with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. O'Brien, who played for Helderberg in the Strand before his move to Kimberley, has been training with Western Province this season.

Kruger, who captained Potchefstroom University's Pukke team in the Varsity Cup competition this year, will join up with Griquas on Tuesday.

"It makes life very difficult, as we have to start from scratch in the line-outs every week when he new players arrive," the coach said.

By Jan de Koning