Paulo, who had attracted interest from other teams, has opted to stay in Bloemfontein for a further two years.

The former North West University Eagles player has made a name for himself as something of a super-sub at the Cheetahs, known for his explosive performances on the field. Speaking to OFM Sport, Paulo said the decision to remain with the Free State Cheetahs was an easy one.

Vernon Paulo. Photo: Morgan Piek

“I think the first thing was that I really enjoy my rugby here at the Free State Cheetahs, and it’s great to be on the field with the full backing of the coaches,” said Paulo. “That’s really important for me as a young professional rugby player – to be on the field and playing consistently. 

“It doesn’t help being at a big union and just carrying bags for two years, only playing about six games in that time. There’s no real development in your game or your skills if you’re not getting the opportunity to be tested and improve. You need that exposure to grow as a player.”

This weekend, the Cheetahs face the Valke in a must-win clash in the SA Cup. Although the semi-finals are within reach, Paulo emphasised the importance of staying focused on the task at hand. 

“I think the key now is to take it one game at a time. It doesn’t help jumping ahead to the semi-finals when we still have to get the job done this weekend. The focus right now is on beating the Valke, and then we can look ahead to Border and the rest of the fixtures.”

Paulo will not be in action on the weekend with Chucky van der Westhuizen once again captaining the team, while Marko Janse van Rensburg is set to play off the bench. This is not due to injury, but more a case being the team’s rotation policy.

Saturday’s match at the Toyota Stadium is set to kick off at 15:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek mvh