Cheetah4eva
Former Treviso coach, Franco Smith has been appointed as Assistant Coach for the Currie Cup. Smith gained a wealth of experience whilst coaching Treviso.
The competition for starting berths for the 2014 Super 15 is hotting up. It is reported that coach Naka Drotské has selected Caylib Oosthuizen to start in the loosehead position ahead of Bok Trevor Nyakane, based on form shown in the prior warm-up matches played.
Ixias versatile prop and the Griffons Vodacom Cup Forward Player of the Year for 2013, Danie van der Merwe has been called up to train with the Toyota Cheetahs.
Prolific try scorer and Blitzbok stalwart, Cornal Hendricks, finally gets to don the Cheetahs jersey. The Toyota Cheetahs iniatially contracted Hendricks for this year’s Super Rugby, but a dispute arose with SARU, as Sevens coach Paul Treu wanted Hendricks for the Sevens circuit. It now seems that Hendricks’ wish of playing for the Cheetahs will come true.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has confirmed that Hendricks has signed a contract for the 2014 Super Rugby and Currie Cup season.
Toyota Cheetahs Assistant Coach Hawies Fourie has been confirmed as the new coach of GWK Griquas.
He replaces Pote Human, who is leaving after the Currie Cup to coach Tukkies in the Varsity Cup.
The appointment is regarded as a strategic move to strengthen the Toyota Cheetahs Super Rugby Franchise.
As the Toyota Cheetahs backline coach, he is well aware of the strategies, and types of players required, he will likely continue in this role during the Super Rugby season.
Livewire Bulls blindside flanker Jean Cook has also returned to his roots. The Cheetahs were keen to retain the young star back in 2011, but were unable to do so, due to financial constraints. The Cheetahs on field performances, have positively impacted on their financial resources too, which has enabled the contracting of more players.
A host of players have signed with Griquas for the 2014 season, attracted by the lure of Super Rugby. The fact that relatively unknown players such as Lourens Adriaanse and Willie le Roux have experienced meteoric progress and been selected for the Springboks has enhanced the Griquas Union as a gateway to higher honours.
Bok flank Juan Smith quietly left South Africa via Oliver Tambo Airport yesterday with his agent Stephan Weyers, to attend medical and fitness assessments with French side Toulon.
Pote Human has gone “Down Under” to find a replacement for injured lock, Ligtoring Landman. Landman who broke his thumb in the match versus the Sharks will be out until at least the second round of the Currie Cup.
With Martin Muller (Lions), Frikkie Spies (France) and Edwin Hewitt (Sharks) all gone to greener pastures, Landman, Nepgen and Lobberts were the only lock options. Pote has brought in the man mountain Rory Arnold from the Gold Coast Breakers Club in Queenslan Australia, to trial for the Currie Cup season.
Facing a looming wing crisis, coach Naka Drotske has called in some favours. In the past the Cheetahs have often released players for Bok Sevens duty. Now the shoe is on the other foot, with the Sevens team helping the Cheetahs out of a bind.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has moved swiftly to alleviate a pending backline crisis. Regular fullback Hennie Daniller has a suspected hand fracture that could rule him out for the Currie Cup season. The Volksblad reported that Naka has signed the Varsity Cup champions, Tukkies, pivot Willie du Plessis, who can play flyhalf, centre and fullback.
The player exodus at the Southern Kings is continuing, with Kings scrumhalf Shaun Venter the latest player to secure a contract with a Super Rugby franchise. Venter has signed a two year deal with the Cheetahs, commencing on the 1st November 2013.
The Free State Cheetahs have been quick out of the blocks in preparing for the Currie Cup and beyond. Apart from the new signings Piet Lindeque, Tonderai Chavhanga and Wian du Preez, previously reported on Rugby Talk, Coach Naka Drotskè has also confirmed that Leopards tighthead, John Roy Jenkinson has also signed a two year contract with the Cheetahs.
The Cheetahs have further bolstered their backline for this year’s Currie Cup, by signing former Springbok wing Tonderai Chavanga. Incidently Chavanga also started his age group rugby with the Cheetahs, so he is also returning to his roots.
The Toyota Cheetahs have moved swiftly to replace the departing Cheetahs star centre, Robert Ebersohn, who is off to further his career in France with Montpellier. Junior Bok and one of the Bulls form centre’s for the past two years, Francois Venter, has signed a contract with the Cheetahs for the next two years. Venter will still play for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup in 2013 but will then join the Cheetahs.
Rumours doing the rounds that the Cheetahs are set to lose some of their stars have been correct. Star centre, Robert Ebersohn has signed with French Club Montpellier. He will reportedly still play in this year’s Currie Cup, before furthering his career overseas.
Following the injury to Jano Vermaak, the Toyota Cheetahs scrumhalf Piet van Zyl has been called up to the Springbok squad in Mpumalanga.
Wian du Preez, is already training with the Cheetahs for the upcoming Currie Cup season. Wian has 1 Springbok cap, but it could be argued that he could have had a few more. He has been a stalwart at Munster since the end of 2009. His experience will be invaluable, as the real possibility exists that the current Cheetahs front row could be called upon for The Rugby Championship.
Other returnees, are Piet Lindeque (Tuks, Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup, and Sharks), and Pieter Jordaan (DHL Western Province).
This initiave was launched by the daughter of one of the bloggers on Sharksworld. Most of us are passionate about the plight of our rhinos.
Toyota Cheetahs coach, Naka Drotskè is persisting in making only one change to his team, for the vital encounter away versus the Sharks in Durban.
Cheetahs and Bok pivot Johan Goosen’s knee operation to repair damage to his knee ligament was a success, and he was present at the Cheetahs training session on Monday.
The Toyota Cheetahs team to face the Western Force on Saturday in the new NIB Stadium in Perth has been named.
A freak training incident has condemned Bok pivot to another session under the scalpel. According to team manager, Eugene van Wyk, Goosen slipped during training and injured the cruciate ligaments in his left knee.
After two stints off the replacement bench, a calf injury sustained by Frans Viljoen could see Heinrich Brüssow start a match for the first time since he injured his shoulder in September last year.
Cheetahs stars, Adriaan Strauss (ankle sprain), Johan Goosen (illness), and Lappies Labuschagne (hamstring) did not train yesterday, in preparation for Friday’s encounter versus the Waratahs. All three are expected to be fit to play.
Cheetahs stalwart and Springbok flanker Heinrich Brüssow is ready to start against the Highlanders.
Now that the euphoria amongst Sharks fans has settled down, many are beginning too ponder how the Sharks team went from a commanding lead of 21 points after 50 minutes of rugby, to scrambling desperately to prevent the Cheetahs snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. By contrast Cheetahs fans are grimly searching for some positives to take out of the match. The following thoughts was posted on the Cheetahs Blog.
The good performances by the Cheetah looseforwards against the Sharks the past weekend, has given coach Naka Drotskè enough reason to hold back the return of bok flanker Heinrich Brüssow. The Cheetahs loose trio of Frans Viljoen, Lappies Labuschagne and Phillip van der Walt gave a good account of themselves in a losing cause. Boom Prinsloo also made a positive contribution from the replacement bench. Phillip van der Walt played probably his best Super Rugby match to date and he combined well with Lappies in creating a well-crafted try.
The Toyota Cheetahs team to take on the Sharks in Bloemfontein on Saturday at 17h05 has been named.
Naka Drotskè has finally shown his cards, when he announced the squad that will go on tour after this weekend’s match versus the Sharks. The Cheetahs have a gruelling tour facing the current Super 15 champions, the Chiefs, the Highlanders and the Waratahs on consecutive weekends, before winding down their tour with a match against the Western Force. Naka has selected a squad of 26 players to go on tour, with the versatility and experience seemingly the decider in some positions. As expected, bok hooker Adriaan Strauss will captain the side.
GWK Griquas have beaten the Southern Kings 30 -27, in what was the Kings final warm up match. This result raises yet more questions as to the Kings preparedness for this years Super 15. Simon Westraadt scored a try five minutes from the final whistle to seal the Kings loss. Burton Francis converted, bringing his personal haul to 20 for the match. Burton Francis must have been left smiling, after he was left out of the Kings group earlier this year.
Much needed good news for Cheetahs fans came from the Cheetahs camp, following the shock retirement of star bok flanker Juan Smith. Coenie Osthuizen, who has been recovering from back and neck injuries, was cleared for scrummaging sessions and came through unscathed. Furthermore, flyhalf sensation Johan Goosen has also been cleared to start after receiving treatment for a troublesome heel. Word is that he could have played against the Bulls but the coaches opted to rather rest him.
GWK Griquas have named a strong and experienced team to play against the Southern Kings in their final warm-up match on Wednesday 12 February, 19h00 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth. This will surely be another stern examination of the Southern Kings preparedness for the ardous Super Rugby series which lies ahead.
Some of the Griquas players will want to show the Cheetahs’ coaches that they are able replacements, should injuries occur.
The Cheetahs have announced their group of 35 players for this year’s Super Rugby tournament. It differs substantially from last year’s squad, with numerous players having pursued careers overseas. Considering that ten of last year’s squad’s names don’t appear, one could be forgiven for expecting a weaker squad but it looks like a good squad overall.
Scans of Johan Goosen’s troublesome left heel have shown that there is no damage other than bruising.