Cheetahs scuppered by schedule

PLAYING on two fronts finally got the better of the Cheetahs.

Having to split their players between the Europe-based Pro14 competition and the Currie Cup, the defending Cup champions crashed out of the competition at the hands of the Lions on Saturday.

It was a meek surrender, going down 44-17, even though the men from Bloemfontein pushed their strongest side into the field because the Pro14 competition – which the Cheetahs joined earlier this year after being kicked out of Super Rugby – is on a two-week break.

Head coach Rory Duncan admitted focusing on two competitions hurt the Cheetahs. “Switching between Super Rugby, then Currie Cup, then Pro14 and then back to the Currie Cup ... and playing 13 games on the trot has been quite a balancing act,” said Duncan.

“Changing competitions didn’t make life easy, focusing on two competitions, but now we can concentrate on just the Pro14, even though we’re very disappointed to miss out on the semi-finals in the Currie Cup.”

Duncan though didn’t use the trying schedule as an excuse for his team’s demise against the Lions. “We didn’t perform to our standards tonight; they’re higher than that. But we also have to give credit to the Lions ... they were hungry for the win and they had the desire. I’d like to think the scoreline wasn’t a true reflection of the game.”

The Lions out-scored the Cheetahs five tries to two, with the visitors’ five-pointers coming from an intercept and an 80th minute touchdown.

The Cheetahs will now focus solely on the Pro14.