Griquas will lose four of their most influential players at the end of the season.

Arni van Rooyen, the Griqualand West Rugby Union CEO, confirmed on Wednesday that Super Rugby stars Davon Raubenheimer and Riaan Viljoen - both of whom are Springbok tourists - have joined the mass exodus.

Raubenheimer has decided to join the Cheetahs in 2012, while it has been confirmed that Viljoen will become a Shark.

The Bok duo will follow in the footsteps of scrumhalf star Sarel Pretorius, who is joining up with the Waratahs, and Barry Geel, who has also signed with the Cheetahs.

The only ray of light is that the Waratahs will release Pretorius to play Currie Cup rugby for Griquas in 2012.

All four these players were among the standout performers for a much-improved Cheetahs team in this season's Super Rugby competition and they will, again, form the backbone of Griquas' Currie Cup campaign this year.

Van Rooyen, however, remains optimistic that they will find quality replacements for the departing stars.

"In the past we had to find replacements when senior players left and we will do that again," Van Rooyen said on the official Griquas website.

"We have a limited budget and have to stick to that... as simple as that."