Toyota Free State Cheetahs
A final decision regarding the playing future of Springbok flank Juan Smith will now only be made at the end of January.
A year has come and gone, and now we face a “rugby drought” until Super 15 kicks off mid February 2013. It is the “dry season” as far as rugby news goes, so am sure most of us are getting withdrawl symptoms. Hopefully this will solicit some debate or scorn.
I list the possible contenders for props in the Cheetahs 2013 Super Rugby group. The Cheetahs seem to have a penchant for grooming young props, with most of the contenders still puppies as far as props go.
The Cheetahs are doing everything within their powers to try and stop loose forward Juan Smith from moving to France.
In the same week that the Cheetahs lost the highly promising lock, Carl Wegner, they announced the acquisition of another young lock. Lodewyk (Lood) de Jager was considered unlucky, by many to miss out on selection for last years IRB Junior World Championships. He was only cut from the group during the final trials. Apparently the Bulls were also interested in his services.
Three players in Naka Drotske’s 2013 Super Rugby wider training group, have been selected to play 7’s rugby with Paul Treu’s Blitzbokke. Robert Ebersohn, Kevin Luiters, and Hansi Graaff will be available for the Dubai, and Port Elizabeth legs of the IRB Sevens Tournament.
EP Kings (6) 6 / 16 (0) Cheetahs (Final score)
The Eastern Province Kings and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the 2nd Currie Cup Premier Division Promotion / Relegation game at Nelson Madela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 19:10 SA Time (18:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 on TV in SA.
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With the first game done and dusted already in the Currie Cup Premier Division Promotion / Relegation series and the EP Kings needing a mighty 40 point win, including bonus point for tries, it is an uphill battle for the men from Eastern Province.
We see calls from EP’s Alan Solomons going out not to judge the EP Kings and Southern Kings on these two games, but seriously, what else are we supposed to do?
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs is hardly featuring a full Free State side, let alone a full Super Rugby side, due to the plethera of injuries they are currently experiencing, coupled to the fact that the Griquas portion of their Super Rugby Franchise is NOT included in these games at all.
What we DO KNOW is that the mainstay of these two Super Rugby Franchises will be players from the respective Currie Cup sides, so the current reflection is the nearest we can come to judging what might transpire next year in Super Rugby at the Southern Kings.
Well, enough of that, we have to concentrate on Friday’s Promotion / Relegation game first and foremost, and here’s the Team sheets for this encounter:
The Free State Cheetahs started preparations for round two of their battle with the Eastern Province Kings facing a new injury crisis.
Cheetahs (24) 53 / 14 (0) Kings (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and EP Kings did battle in the first of two Promotion / Relegation games to determine entry for the Currie Cup, Premier Division for 2013 at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Coenie Oosthuisen has been ruled out for between 8 – 12 weeks with a back injury, which basically rules him out for the rest of 2012.
Herewith a team by team breakdown of the selected sides for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division matches.
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Rising star Raymond Rhule was chosen by his peers as the Players Player of the Year for the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
Cheetahs (10) 30 / 37 (15) Sharks (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and The Sharks did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, 6, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Herewith a team by team breakdown of the selected sides for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division matches.
Continue reading
The dreaded injury bogey and looseforward curse has struck Heinrich Brüssow, the Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Springbok flank yet again.
Amongst all the frenetic activity on the international scene, the silly season has gone into full swing. So lets see what the player accquisitions are for the Cheetahs, looking ahead to 2013. In addition lets look at some players that are making waves.
Cheetahs (17) 35 / 20 (6) Griquas (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and GWK Griquas did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 14:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, M-Net on TV in SA.
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Herewith a team by team breakdown of the selected sides for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division matches.
Continue reading
Blue Bulls (17) 34 / 30 (9) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Vodacom Blue Bulls and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Herewith a team by team breakdown of the selected sides for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division matches.
Continue reading
Cheetahs (16) 23 / 38 (20) Golden Lions (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and MTN Golden Lions did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Free State Stadium at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Like last week and probably the weeks to come a condensed version, team by team of the selected sides for this weekend’s Currie Cup Premier Division matches.
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Toyota Free State Coach Naka Drotske, continues to pull rabbits out of the hat. He has taken the bold step of dropping embattled flyhalf, Sias Ebersohn to the bench, and has put Tewis de Bruyn in the 10 jersey. Tewis is not unfamiliar in the position, and has performed admirably in the crucial flyhalf channel before. In last years Currie Cup match vs Griquas, in Kimberely, he delivered a match winning performance. This could just be the catalyst, to get the exciting Cheetahs backs going again. The Cheetahs have battled to be an attacking force, eversince Johan Goosen was injured, during the match vs the Highlanders, back in April.
In other changes, veteran Hendro Scholtz gets a start at 8, displacing Davon Raubenheimer, who drops to the bench. Francois Uys, replaces Andries Ferreira at 4. The Cheetahs have decided to have Ferreira’s knee operated on, and so he is out for the season.
Cheetahs (19) 22 / 29 (13) WP (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and DHL Western Province did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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In stead of doing seperate Articles on every possible Currie Cup team, herewith a condensed version, team by team of the selected sides for this weekend.
Continue reading
Sharks (6) 34 / 32 (21) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Sharks and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Mr Price Kings Park at 17:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Any thoughts that Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer may have about selecting Toyota Free State wunderkid Johan Goosen should be shelved until the Boks get back from Australia and New Zealand.
Prior to the new round of 3 matches this coming weekend, we have to report that Trevor Nyakane, prop of the Free State Cheetahs, has broken his thumb and might be out for the rest of the Currie Cup. Blue Bulls young monster looseforwar, Arno Botha, who was struggling with a hamstring strain seems to have strained the hamstring some more and indications are he is out for at least one week. Western Province has not escaped the injury bogey either with news that not only is Siya Kolisi out for the remainder of the Currie Cup season, but Tyrone Holmes is out for 2 weeks with a shoulder injury. The good news for Western Province however is that they will have Rynhardt Elstadt and Deon Carsten back from injury this week.
Griquas (10) 16 / 29 (10) Cheetahs (Final Score)
GWK Griquas and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at GWK Park, Kimberley at 15:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Talented Cheetahs pivot Johan Goosen has been cleared to start and not surprisingly coach Naka Drotske has opted to start with him.
The good news is the probable return from injury of some stalwarts for the Free State Cheetahs.
Cheetahs (23) 32 / 18 (10) Blue Bulls (Final Score)
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Vodacom Blue Bulls did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Naka Drotske and Hawies Fourie have reshuffled the backline to lend more impetus on attack. The most meaningful change is the return to the flyhalf berth for Sias Ebersohn.
The silly season is truly upon us, with players moving like pieces on a chess board. Promising young Bulls tighthead prop, Rossouw de Klerk will join the Toyota Free State Cheetahs for 2 years, at the end of the current Currie Cup competition. The loss of de Klerk is likely to be offset, by the Bulls signing of young Marcel van der Merwe. Apparently Rayno Gerber was also attempting to get onto the the Cheetahs player list. Naka has signed Ross Geldenhuys, and Pieter Stemmet, to cover the departure of WP Nel, but they have been signed fr the CC only thus far.
Lions (23) 43 / 20 (6) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The MTN Golden Lions and Toyota Free State Cheetahs did battle in the Currie Cup, Premier Division at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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