This is the 7th in the series of Cheetahs Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for MIDFIELD in the Toyota Cheetahs 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
The Contenders:
Name: Petrus Johannes “Piet” Lindeque:
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Piet Lindeque is a product of Grey College and University of Pretoria (Tuks).
He started his career back in 2007 with the Free State before making his move to the Sharks in 2010 where he represented them in the Vodacom Cup and at Under 21 level. At the start of 2013 he had a brief stint with the Blue Bulls in the Vodacom Cup before receiving a call-up to represent the Sharks in Super Rugby and from there went on to represent the Toyota Free State Cheetahs in the 2013 Currie Cup.
Lindeque is still a young player and in the Cheetahs team is sure to get some game time. With Robert Ebersohn now playing his rugby overseas, it is uncertain who will make up the starting centre pairing. So, I would like to believe that it is an open competition for these spots.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2007 – Free State – U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week
- 2008 – Konica Minolta Free State – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
- 2009 – Free State – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, South Africa – SA U/18 High Performance SA Schools, South Africa – SA Schools U/18
- 2010 – Sharks Invitational XV – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Sharks – ABSA Under 21 Competition, Sharks – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2011 – Sharks XV – Vodacom Cup, Sharks XV – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Sharks – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2012 – Sharks XV – Vodacom Cup, Sharks – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2013 – Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, Tuks – Varsity Cup, Sharks – Vodacom Super Rugby, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
Name: Xolane Howard “Howard” Mnisi:
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Howard Mnisi is a product of Badplaas Primary School, Standerton High School, the Sharks Academy as well as Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan University (NMMU).
He started his career at he the Pumas back in 2006 where he represented them at Under 16 level. He made a move to the Sharks at the start of 2008 where he represented the Sharks at Under 19 and Under 21 levels and in the Vodacom Cup. In 2013 he made his move to GWK Griquas.
Mnisi displayed moments of brilliance in the 2013 Currie Cup. The question one would want to ask is whether he could step up to Super Rugby level. He is most likely the lowest in the centre pecking order at the Toyota Cheetahs. However, I am sure that when does get game time that he would deliver. He has talent and with some proper coaching could turn into a potentail Springbok later in his career.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2006 – Mpumalanga – U18 Coca Cola Craven Week
- 2007 – Pumas – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
- 2008 – Sharks – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2010 – Sharks – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2011 – Sharks XV – Vodacom Cup
- 2012 – NMMU – Varsity Cup, South Africa – SA Students
- 2013 – NMMU – Varsity Cup, Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, GWK Griquas – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, GWK Griquas – ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation
Name: Johann Sadie:
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Johann Sadie is a product of Swartland Primary School, Paarl Gimnasium and Stellenbosch University (Maties).
He started his career back in 2005 at Under 16 level with Western Province. He went on to represent Western Province in the Currie Cup and the Stormers in Super Rugby until 2011. In 2012 he made a move to the Blue Bulls, where things did not work out for him the way he would have liked, as he was overshadowed by former Western Province team mate JJ Engelbrecht. This would then in turn signal his move to the Free State in 2013. Sadie was also part of the Junior Springbok squad in 2009.
Sadie is most likely going to be the starting No 13 (outside centre) in this side, where he played most of the 2013 Super Rugby season and is also the most capped centre in this side.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2005 – Investec Western Province – U16 Coca Cola Grant Khomo Week
- 2006 – Western Province – U18 Coca Cola Craven Week, Western Province – U18 Academy Week, South Africa – CAR U18
- 2007 – Western Province – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
- 2008 – Vodacom Western Province – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2009 – Maties – Varsity Cup, South Africa – IRB Junior World Championships, Western Province – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2010 – Maties – Varsity Cup, Western Province – Vodacom Cup, Western Province – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2011 – DHL Western Province – Vodacom Cup, DHL Stormers – Vodacom Super Rugby, DHL Western Province – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2012 – Vodacom Bulls – Vodacom Super Rugby, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2013 – Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
Name: Jacobus Francois “Francois” Venter:
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Francois Venter is a product of Grey College Primary School, Grey College and the University of Pretoria (Tuks).
He started his career in 2007 for the Free State at Under 16 level and remained with the union until 2010 when he made his move to the Blue Bulls. He remained at the Blue Bulls and represented them at Under 21, Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup and Super Rugby levels. He was also part of the Junior Springbok squad in 2011.
Venter would be my first choice at No 12 (inside centre) for this season at the Cheetahs. He has proven at the Bulls that he can play Super Rugby and will be well suited next to Johann Sadie.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2007 – Free State – U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week
- 2008 – South Africa – U/18 Elite Squad, South Africa – SA Schools, Konica Minolta Free State – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
- 2009 – Free State – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2010 – Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, South Africa – IRB Junior World Championships, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Blue Bulls – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2011 – Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, South Africa – IRB Junior World Championships, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2012 – Vodacom Bulls – Vodacom Super Rugby, Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Under 21 Competition, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2013 – Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, Vodacom Bulls – Vodacom Super Rugby, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
Starters:
This is the first article I have done on the Cheetahs where I feel that they are lacking a bit. In all other positions they seem well rounded.
I also have this bad feeling that this is where teams are going to target the Toyota Cheetahs. I think that they are too light at centre and the combinations here are not familiar with each other, as they have almost never played together.
The combination I would go for is to play Francois Venter at No 12 with Johann Sadie at No 13, with Piet Lindeque as bench cover.
The other possibility for the Cheetahs is to maybe consider playing Raymond Rhule at centre and not wing.
The next Article in the range will deal with the Cheetahs Back Three.
Johann Sadie and Francois Venter should make a fine starting centre combination… and the depth after that is not shabby.
AGreed and Mnisi is a strong runnner
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