Rugby
Cheetahs target better setpiece and breakdown against the Dragons─── MORGAN PIEK 14:30 Tue, 25 Feb 2020
The Toyota Cheetahs focus this week will be on an improved setpiece, breaking and making use of their opportunities against the Dragons in Newport.
The Cheetahs play in their last Guinness PRO14 tour match on Saturday, and with the race for the playoffs heating up, it is imperative to secure a victory.
While the Cheetahs lost 20-10 to Ulster in Belfast last week, they had plenty of chances, which weren’t used.
There were no issues with the Cheetahs scrum, however, the lineout let them down, especially in the Ulster red zone. Two missed lineouts on the attack could have changed the outcome of the game, had the ball gone to hand.
Cheetahs coach, Hawies Fourie, told OFM Sport that too many chances went begging at Ravenhill.
“The two lineouts we missed in their 22 in the first half definitely cost us.
“We had a lot of pressure on them, we had three penalties in a row and maybe if we won one of those lineouts, we could have had a yellow card against them and that would have made it a bit easier for us to score a try from the driving maul.
“In total, we had eight setpieces in their 22, and we couldn’t score from one. That was the biggest disappointment. We are normally good with the driving maul and they stopped it well.
Fourie went on to add that their play at the breakdown was not up to scratch either and this made things easier for Ulster on the counter.
“Our attack wasn’t as good as it should be and we conceded quite a number of turnovers at the breakdown. Marcell Coetzee is one of the best in the world and we knew that in advance. We let ourselves down in that department.
“Apart from that, I am satisfied with the way that we played. I am satisfied that we are being to play and adapt to the wet conditions better than what we have done in the past.
“The effort of the guys was flawless and I couldn’t point fingers at any of them for not doing their best. That is what we expect from them.”
To date, the Dragons and Cheetahs have played each other only twice, with the Free Staters winning on both occasions. In 2018 the Cheetahs won 29-17 in Newport, and in 2019 they recorded a 38-13 victory in Bloemfontein.
Saturday’s game between the Dragons and Cheetahs at Rodney Parade kicks off at 19:15.
@MorganPiek OFM Sport