The Toyota Cheetahs’ preparations for Super Rugby this week reports on fitness niggles to Willie le Roux and Oupa Mahoje and also reports that Rayno Benjamin will miss the start of Super Rugby due to Sevens committments with the Blitzbokke for the first 2 weeks in February.

In addition the battle for the flyhalf spot between Joe Pietersen, Willie du Plessis and Francois Brummer, seems to be dominating the attention of the media, with speculation that Joe Pietersen seems to be the favourite, after the warm-up games to get Round 1’s starting spot.

Maks van Dyk, who has been on short term loan with Leinster in Ireland, to get valuable game time reports that he is enjoying his short Northern sojourn.

Maks van Dyk:

Cheetahs and Griquas tighthead prop Maks van Dyk is enjoying a short loan spell at Irish club Leinster before he returns for Super Rugby.

Van Dyk said he took the opportunity because he needed some game time.

“My agent came to me with the loan offer. I decided to take it because the team was busy with off-season training and it would be a while until I got proper game time. I was very excited with the prospect of playing overseas and playing against the front rows in Europe,” he said.

Van Dyk said he learned a lot during his stint in Ireland, where he has spent some time with Zane Kirchner.

“Springbok fullback Zane Kirchner is a good mate, and as a fellow South African, he has taken me under his wing and shown me all the spots around town. He’s helped me feel at home. I’m also good friends with Australian lock Kane Douglas, who has an Afrikaans girlfriend, so we have something to relate to!

“I’m learning a lot, especially from a guy like Jamie Heaslip (Irish No 8). The Irish mentality towards the game has given me new perspectives. You also have to be mentally strong to play at an overseas club, where you’ll find yourself in a totally new environment, around new people and you have to adapt to a new way of life. Oh, and the Irish guys hate it when you speak Afrikaans because they don’t understand it.”

Van Dyk also confirmed that he’ll return home in time for the Super Rugby competition.

“I will play in a few more games for them before returning to the Cheetahs ahead of the 2015 Super Rugby campaign. I hope this experience will help me attract the national selectors. I do hope to play for an overseas team again one day.”

Rayno Benjamin:

Versatile Cheetahs back Rayno Benjamin will miss the start of the Super Rugby competition due to his commitments with the Springbok Sevens team.

Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske confirmed that Benjamin would not be available for the Cheetahs’ first Super Rugby clash against the Sharks in Durban on 14 February.

The coach said Benjamin would be available for their warm-up match against the Bulls in Polokwane on 24 January before joining the up with the Springbok Sevens team.

Benjamin helped the Blitzbokke win tournaments in Dubai and Port Elizabeth late last year and is set to take part in the Sevens World Series events in New Zealand (Wellington – 6 & 7 February) and America (Las Vegas – 13 & 14 February).

Benjamin, who can play wing and centre, will then return to play in the Super Rugby competition.

Niggles for Willie le Roux & Oupa Mohoje:

Springboks Willie le Roux and Oupa Mohoje are not yet training at full pace with the rest of their Cheetahs team-mates.

According to reports, fullback Le Roux (Achilles) and flank Mohoje (groin) as well as lock Armandt Koster (back) are currently training on their own as a precautionary measure.

The injuries are however not serious and should not rule them out of the start of this year’s Super Rugby competition.

The Cheetahs will play three warm-up matches – against the Bulls, Stormers and Griffons.

The Race for the flyhalf berth:

Joe Pietersen could get a jump on his rivals in the Cheetahs’ flyhalf race in the next few weeks.

Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské, confirmed that the 30-year-old Pietersen is one of the players being considered as a starter in the No 10 jersey.

Elgar Watts, just a year the junior of Pietersen, won’t be available till mid-March as a result of off-season surgery to repair a damaged knee.

That means Pietersen, rookie Willie du Plessis (24, who joined the Cheetahs after stints with the Blue Bulls and Golden Lions) and Francois Brummer (25, who has also been at a few teams without settling down) are the options ahead of their pre-season opener against the Bulls in Polokwane next week (24 January).

Drotské said he will be giving them all a run, before finalising the squad.

The Cheetahs kick-start their 2015 Super Rugby campaign against the Sharks in Durban on 14 February and it would not be a surprise if Pietersen is the first-choice flyhalf – given his extensive experience.

Although he has never started a Super Rugby game at flyhalf, he was used as a starting No 10 by Western Province in three Vodacom Cup games in 2006, two Currie Cup games in 2008 and in 2009 played six Vodacom Cup games as pivot.

His preferred positions then were fullback and wing. However, he was often used as a first-receiver – off the bench or during games – in the more than 160 first-class matches for WP, Stormers, Bayonne and Biarritz.

His accuracy as a goal-kicker is another key factor that could decide the outcome of the flyhalf race.

Apart from Watts, the only other player set to miss the start of the season through injury is Sevens Springbok Johannes Prinsloo, who underwent groin surgery in the off-season. He is also scheduled to return in March.

Springbok loose forward Heinrich Brüssow and midfielder Johann Sadie are playing for the same club in Japan, the Red Hurricanes.

Their team is playing in the quarterfinals of the all-Japan Championship later this month (25 January). If the Hurricanes lose, the two will return to Bloemfontein straight away. Alternatively they will be back only in February, depending on the team’s progress in the play-offs.

The Cheetahs started their pre-season build-up from 13 November to 13 December and the players returned last Monday (5 January), after working on personalised programmes during the break.

“We are well on track and very happy with where we are at the moment,” Drotské said.