Mentally ready team is essential — Drotske

Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has called for a much better defensive effort from his side when they take on Western Province in a Currie Cup match at the Free State stadium this afternoon. “We have spoken to each and every one of the players,” he said. “The message was simple. They have to decide if they want to buy into our defensive structures and if they are going to pitch for the game mentally.” The Cheetahs are still in the running for a place in the knockout stages of the competition and will only bolster their place among the top sides if they beat a motivated Western Province. But it will take a huge effort from the Bloemfontein-based team, who will look to take on Western Province in the scrums with heavyweights like props Trevor Nyakane and locks Lood de Jager and Freddie Ngoza providing power up front.