Rugby
Cheetahs target greater consistency in SA Cup─── MORGAN PIEK 09:32 Mon, 07 Apr 2025
Toyota Cheetahs coach, Frans Steyn, has called for more improvement and consistency from his team in the SA Cup and they fight to qualify for the Currie Cup Premier Division.
On Saturday, the Cheetahs produced a rock-solid first half in their 38-31 victory over the Griffons, but the second half definitely provided for some anxious moments.
The Griffons mounted a strong comeback, and the Cheetahs had to dig deep to secure the win with a late try by the replacement flanker Daniel Maartens.
Steyn expressed concern that while the team is getting results, the performances aren’t convincing, and he stressed the importance of stepping up and taking ownership.
“I know Victor doesn’t want to be negative, and that’s why I also don’t want to say too much,” said Steyn. “But I believe we’re better than this – and I can’t keep saying that week after week, like I’ve been doing for the past two years.
“At some point, we need to show that we actually want to play. The first half was decent – if you’re breaking a team down, I can live with that – but again, we faded in the second half.”
Crucially, the Cheetahs have moved into the playoff spots for the first time this season, aided by the Suzuki Griquas’ hard-fought 42-36 win over the Boland Cavaliers in Kimberley on Saturday.
Willem van den Hever. Photo: Morgan Piek
That result saw the Cheetahs climb to fourth on the log with 17 points, as they also secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
The Griffons managed to stay just ahead of the Cheetahs thanks to the four-try bonus point, as well as a losing bonus point for finishing within seven points. They’ve now moved up to 18 points and remain in the running to retain their spot in the Currie Cup Premier Division, but they can’t afford to slip up against the Valke in Kempton Park this coming weekend.
Cheetahs captain Victor Sekekete told OFM Sport that breaking into the playoff places has been a key motivator, especially after a slow start to the campaign, which saw away losses to the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington and Pumas in Nelspruit.
“I think it gives the players a lot of purpose – and that’s what we’ve been fighting for,” said Sekekete.
“From here, we need to keep pushing and stop giving away so many opportunities. Half of the tries we’re conceding are soft – they’re not even working hard for them. So we really need to put in the effort defensively, because at the moment we’re giving away easy tries and that’s keeping the opposition in the game.”
The Cheetahs will next face the SWD Eagles at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, with kick-off at 15:00 on Saturday.
