CHEETAHS OFF TO FLYING START
IT is early in the Currie Cup competition, but the Free State Cheetahs are already looking like the team to beat after their 30-17 win over Western Province at the weekend.
The Cheetahs‚ who will also be involved in Europe’s Pro 12 competition from September‚ have to bank as many points as they can in the first half of the campaign to assure themselves of a semifinal place when fixture congestion hits.
Their handy win over a WP team that included many Super Rugby players‚ took the Cheetahs’ Currie Cup winning streak to 12 matches.
The Cheetahs have collected a maximum 10 points from the first two rounds.
They have a bye this weekend‚ and coach Rory Duncan has given the players two days off because they have two matches in three days next week.
Their next assignment is an away clash against the Pumas on August 9‚ which presents another good opportunity to maintain their perfect start to the campaign‚ and that is followed by a home match against Griquas on August 12.
Last season Free State won all 10 games on their way to winning the title‚ and this season they have bolstered their ranks with several gamebreakers, including Blitzbok star Rosko Specman.
The dreadlocked flyer was influential in Sunday’s win over WP and, as the season progresses, he is likely to become a more important cog for the Bloemfontein side.
Coach Rory Duncan had high praise for Specman after his man-of-the-match effort against WP.
“Rosko is a player with the ability to create something from nothing‚ commonly referred to as a gamebreaker‚ and that is the reason why he
The reason he is in the team is to create for us, and that is exactly what he has done
is in the team‚” Duncan said.
“He had another great game today. He opened with that first try of his [after just two minutes] and he was involved in a number of plays in the game that gave us good momentum and goforward.
“We are‚ obviously‚ very happy to have him in a Cheetahs jersey.”
In other action, the Golden Lions survived a determined fightback from Griquas at Ellis Park to secure a 48-43 victory on Saturday.
In the other match‚ the Sharks secured a 29-0 win against the Pumas at Kings Park.