The team had a tough baptism of fire in the competition with back-to-back defeats to Ulster and Munster in the first two rounds, and on top of that the side from Bloemfontein conceded nearly 100 points in the two matches.

This week the Cheetahs tackle the Italian outfit, Zebre, who also lost their two opening games. Even though the side from Parma are one the lowest rated sides in the competition, the Cheetahs will not be under estimating them.

Williams has been at the Cheetahs for a about a month, and believes that the side has not been able to play their trademark running rugby to date.

Williams told OFM Sport that the Irish tend to suffocate their opponents at the setpiece, and this is something the Cheetahs will adapt to in order to play running rugby.

“We’ve got a brand of rugby that we want to play and we probably haven’t seen it in the first two games in terms of maintaining continuity with the football and challenging teams.

“When you go to the northern hemisphere there is a big emphasis on set piece contest.

“They try and end the contest there, they stop your scrum or stop your set piece.

“If we can match parity there and get ball in play, that’s where our strength will lie, so I think that’s where the challenge will be this week.

Williams agrees that the Irish teams, Ulster and Munster, in particular do have an element of Cheetahs rugby in the way that they approach a game.

“They do manage the field very well, it’s a good patience game with the football but they will still look to push you in behind, were I think that the Super Rugby teams tend to stretch the envelope and play a little bit more, which gives you turn overs.

“They have a good balance of running the football and pushing you in behind and forcing you to play out of your own areas. It’s something that we’ve still got to adapt to and learn to manage.”

The Cheetahs host Zebre on Saturday evening, with kick-off at the Toyota Stadium at 19:30. It is believed that 24 000 tickets have already been collected. Entry to the game is free of charge, but a ticket needs to be collected.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport