2013 Season Preview: Cheetahs

by Paul Cook –

A few years back, the Cheetahs weren’t exactly lauded as exponents of entertaining rugby but their evolution under coach Naka Drotske – in the last two seasons in particular – has won them many admirers. Their exhilarating, ball-in-hand, run from anywhere approach saw them become many people’s second favourite team last year and if it’s points you’re after – at either end – they very rarely disappoint.

And therein lies the crux. While they have no problems finding the chalk in attack, their defence is notoriously porous and has been the main factor for their inability to trouble the top six finals places. Last year, they finished 10th on the ladder but while they had the 7th most potent attack, they also had the 13th worst defence. Improvement in this area has to have been a priority in the off-season.

Sarel Pretorius returns to the Cheetahs after a year of mixed fortunes with the Waratahs

Player wise, they suffered a big loss, literally, with the departure of wrecking ball Ashley Johnson to Saracens in the UK, while fly-half Sias Ebersohn will be hoping for a more productive time in Australia with the Western Force, than former team mate Sarel Pretorius experienced at the Waratahs in 2012.

The elusive scrum-half started like a house on fire with the Sydney based side but things went awry as the season progressed and results deteriorated and he found himself on the outer by season’s end. Returning to his home town of Bloemfontein, Pretorius looks set to carry on where he left off in 2011, when he finished as the joint top try scorer in the competition.

Add to that the burgeoning talents of tyros Johan Goosen and Willie Le Roux in their second season of Super Rugby and the ‘follow me’ captaincy of Adriaan Strauss, who broke through into the Springboks ranks last year – and there is much to like about the Cheetahs chances of making that elusive finals push. Whatever happens, it should be fun.

Rugby News caught up briefly with Pretorius, Strauss, Goosen and Le Roux recently to discuss their expectations for the season ahead and the chance of finals football for the first time.

Looking back at 2012 briefly, there were some notable successes – Rebels & Hurricanes on the road, the Waratahs at home – and some exciting, free-flowing football on display but was a 10th place finish an underachievement or about where you expected to be?

Adriaan Strauss: “We want to be in a position to be in the run for the play-offs so 10th place is not good enough for us.”

How close is this team to breaking through into finals contention?

AS: “We had a good preseason and I think this is probably our best squad to date. I believe that we are capable this year.”

Willie Le Roux: “We have our best chance this year if everything can go our way.”

Sarel Pretorius: “I think it is important to win your home games and the fifty/fifty games to get into finals contention.”

You’ve become many people’s second favourite team due to the style of rugby you play. Can we expect more of the same this season?

Johan Goosen had a stellar debut season in 2012 that ended with Springbok recognition

WL-R: “Yes, definitely, we want to play a good brand of rugby that everybody enjoys.”

AS: “We want to play exciting running rugby but we need to tilt the scoreboard in our favour in the tight matches!”

With the nature of the Cheetahs game and the exciting players you have, scoring points has not been a problem in recent years. However, stopping them at the other end has been. Has defence been a focus in the off-season?

AS: “Definitely. We want to turn this weakness into one of our strengths this year.”

SP: “We can score tries but the defence was definitely our main problem. We have been working very hard on it this preseason.”

You’ve lost a couple of key players in Sias Ebersohn & Ashley Johnson since last year but you have the return of Sarel from Australia and a host of other newcomers. Is the squad stronger in depth than last year?

JG: “I think we are a stronger side and have more depth than last year.”

AS: “We have lost a lot of good players but I believe we have got a good mix of youth and experience this year.”

WL-R: “We have two or three guys going for each position so there’s good depth in the squad this year.”

The Super Rugby competition is not just a rugby challenge, it is an endurance and travel challenge as well, particularly for the South African sides who experience 4-5wks on the road. How important a part of the season is adapting to the travel and picking up points away from home?

JG: “The travel does play a role and adapting is a challenge but most of us are used to it now.  It is one of our goals to pick up as many points away from home as possible.”

SP: “Travelling is tough, the main thing is to adapt as quickly as possible and get a couple of points on the road.”

AS: “We have got the confidence and belief now so that we will look forward to any tour or away game this year.”

2013 Cheetahs Ins & Outs

How do you think the Southern Kings will fare in their debut season – will they be genuinely competitive?

AS: “They are a good team with good individuals, I believe they will be very competitive.”

JG: “It’s going to be tough for them because that’s what the Super 15 competition is. We also had a tough start to our campaign when we joined in 2006.”

SP: “It’s always tough for a new team to come into a competition. I think they will struggle a little bit.”

Sarel, your time at the Waratahs had it’s highs and lows but, although it didn’t go quite the way you would have hoped, was it a valuable learning experience – do you come back a better player?

Winger Willie Le Roux crossed 7 times in his first year with the Cheetahs

SP: “I worked hard on my kicking game at the Tahs, that’s the main thing I improved. I learned a lot in my time there and it was a good experience but it’s great to be back home.”

Your last season with the Cheetahs in 2011 saw you finish as the joint leading try scorer in the competition, are you confident you can slot straight back into the team and be a major threat again?

SP: “The Cheetahs play a great attacking style of rugby that suits my game and I enjoy that a lot.”

The South African Conference will be closely fought again this year, who is the team to beat in 2013?

WL-R: “I think the Bulls, Stormers and Sharks are all good teams, hard to pick just one.”

JG: “Stormers.”

SP: “The local derbies are always tough but I think the team to beat is the Bulls.”

How about the across the competition generally – who do you like the look of in New Zealand and Australia?

WL-R: “From New Zealand, the Highlanders. Australia – the Brumbies.”

JG: “Yep, the Highlanders and the Brumbies.”