Cheetahs Super 14 season preview: 13th on ladder a major achievement

By Greg Clark
Fox Sports rugby commentator
February 04, 2010.

They probably have their name engraved on the wooden spoon already because there's not a lot to convince us that they'll finish better than the 14th placing they achieved in 2009.

Cheetahs coach Naka Drokske must be feeling the pressure heading into his third season in the job.

They’ve finished in the bottom two every year since he took over, despite having some good Currie Cup results. He’ll be hoping they finally take their provincial form into the Super 14.

Forwards Juan Smith and Heinrich Brossouw are world class, but they don’t have a lot of talent around them. The squad consists mainly of Free State Cheetahs players who are not quite yet up to Super Rugby standard.

If they’re anything like last season’s team, they’ll have a dig and, on their day, they will be dangerous.

But they lack the consistency it takes to do well in this competition, as proven by the fact they won just two games last season.

They’ve been hopeless tourists as well, and this year will be no different as they have to play four tough road games against New South Wales Waratahs, the Brumbies, the Crusaders and the Chiefs.

They do finish with three home games, but they’ll be well off the pace by then.

Fox Facts: Cheetahs

Home ground: Vodacom Park, ABSA Park
Coach: Naka Drotske
Best Super 12/14 finish: Tenth 2006
Last season: P13 W2 D0 L11 F213 A341 BP4 Pts12 (14th)

Squad:

Ryno Barnes, Bjorn Basson, Meyer Bosman, Nico Breedt, Heinrich Brussow, Hennie Daniller, Tewis De Bruyn, David De Villiers, Danwel Demas, Wian Du Preez, Riaan du Preez, Robert Ebersohn, Kabamba Floors, Rocco Jansen, Ashley Johnson, Lionel Mapoe, WP Nell, Jongi Nokwe, Naas Olivier, Coenie Oosthuizen, Sarel Pretorius, Devon Raubenheimer, Hendro Scholtz, Juan Smith, Adriaan Strauss, Louis Strydom, Francois Uys, Corne Uys, Frans Viljoen, Riaan Viljoen

Gains: None

Losses: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Bulls), Louis Strydom ( Lions), Flip van der Merwe (Bulls)

Cheetahs' Head-To-Head Records

Week 1, v Bulls (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 0, Lost 4 -
In Bloemfontein: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 2, v Sharks (away)
H2H: Played 4: Won 2, Lost 2 =
In Durban: Played 2: Won 1, Lost 1 =

Week 3, v Highlanders (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 0, Lost 4 -
In Bloemfontein: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 4, v Hurricanes (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 1, Lost 3 -
In Bloemfontein: Played 2: Won 1, Lost 1 =

Week 5, Bye

Week 6, v Stormers (away)
H2H: Played 4: Won 2, Lost 2 =
In Cae Town: Played 2: Won 1, Lost 1 =

Week 7, v Queensland Reds (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 2, Lost 2 =
In Bloemfontein: Played 2: Won 2, Lost 0 +

Week 8, v New South Wales (away)
H2H: Played 4: Won 1, Lost 3 -
In Sydney: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 9, v Brumbies (away)
H2H: Played 4: Won 1, Lost 3 -
In Canberra: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 10, v Crusaders (away)
H2H: Played 4: Won 1, Lost 3 -
In Christchurch: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 11, v Chiefs (away)
H2H: Played 4: Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 3 -
In Hamilton: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 12, v Blues (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 0, Lost 4 -
In Bloemfontein: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 13, v Western Force (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 0, Lost 4 -
In Bloemfontein/Kimberley: Played 2: Won 0, Lost 2 -

Week 14 v Lions (home)
H2H: Played 4: Won 2, Lost 2 =
In Bloemfontein/Kimberley: Played 2: Won 1, Lost 1 =