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Super 14 Preview - Cheetahs |
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Written by PaarlBok
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Thursday, 25 January 2007 |
The Cheetahs (newbies for S14 in 2006) surprise a lot of people last year. They were a team with a few stars but combined well as a team. All the credit must go to Rassie Erasmus. He show his worth as a coach from CC 2005. When you come up against a team like the Cheetahs be sure they will be prepared in detail and is a team playing to structure and a gameplan. Get use to a coach sitting on top of Bloem stadiums roof and shouting orders and showing colour cards. Over the years the FreeState was known as a team playing a 15 men game but Rassie took this and comebine a team, certainly with the best fatties in S14, to play a structure game to get stability in the results.
Changes
Gains:
Marius Joubert (Stormers)
Rayno Benjamin (Stormers)
Philip Burger 7's star but not use in S14 before. This bloke in my books a Bok WC 2007.
Kambamba (CuppaChino) Floors 7's star & became a Bok EYT
Young Cheetahs coming through the CC ranks is Richard Strauss (Blond Bulls hooker), Ashley Johnson (x Gimmie & SA Schools loosie) Flip van der Merwe (Flippies son lock)
Losses:
There were no big loses I can think of.
Strengths
This teams biggest strength will be that they can play this year to a plan A (15 men game ) and a plan B (10 men game). Their scrum will be their strong point and they have quality spreading right across the field and they have one of the best innovated coaches who know to put a winning gameplan together.
Weakness
The Cheetahs biggest weakness maybe their dept in players and inexperience on this level.
Draw
Stormers (H), Bulls (A), Tahs (H), Saders (H), Chiefs (H), Sharks (H), Brumbies (H), Highlanders (A), Blues (A), Canes (A), Reds (A), Force (A) & Lions (A). My view one of the best draws you can get as a Saffer team.
Questions
Can the Cheetahs stay injury free? Can they bring their CC form to the S14? Can they get some wins on their travel leg? Can this potential backline play to its worth. Can Phillip Burger keep scoring tries like in last years CC
Players to pick from (I put my choise first and the others thereafter)
15) Bevin Fortuin, Phillip Burger, Tiger Mangweni, Zane Kirchner
14) Phillip Burger, Giscard Pieters, Eddie Fredericks
13) Marius Joubert, Alwyn Hollenbach, JW Jonker
12) Hendrik Meyer, Ronnie Cooke, Meyer Bosman
11) Rayno Benjamin, Gavin Passens
10) Meyer Bosman, Willem de Waal, Herkie Kruger
09) Michael Claasens, Falie Oelschig, Tertuis Carse
08) Juan Smith, Kabamba Floors, Gareth Krause
07)Juan Smith, Gareth Krause, Barend Pieterse
06) Hendro Scholtz, Kabamba Floors
05) Rory Duncan, Darron Nell
04) Barend Pieterse, Corniel van Zyl
03) CJ van der Linde, Jannie du Plessis
02) Adriaan Strauss, Richardt Strauss
01)Os du Randt, Ollie le Roux, Wian du Preez
Look Out For
Kabamba Floors, Marius Joubert,Phillip Burger, the whole frontrow.
Prediction
The Cheetahs would have learned a lot from last year and are a co holder of the CC and must be a fraction behind the Bulls and in line with the Sharks in my books. I would be disappointed if they dont book a semi place.
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