Frans Steyn says the Cheetahs need to front up physically when they host the Pumas in Sunday’s Currie Cup semi-final at Free State Stadium. DYLAN JOHNSON reports.
The Cheetahs finished the league stage in second place but were beaten 52-26 by the Pumas in Nelspruit last weekend, a result Steyn described bluntly.
“I think we disappointed ourselves over the past weekend,” he said. “There were some harsh words said on Monday and Tuesday. That’s not our standard. We’re never going into a game to save ourselves [for the playoffs].
“They just ran over us. It was like old Blue Bulls rugby, one big guy comes around the corner, then another, and you have to man up and defend your line.”
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However, Steyn was quick to put the defeat in context, pointing to the Cheetahs’ performances earlier in the tournament as evidence of what they are capable of.
“At some stages in the campaign, we played extraordinary rugby, old Free State winning, running rugby,” he said. “You can’t just look at the Pumas and the Bulls game [which they won 62-52] and say we missed something. It’s a great opportunity for our squad, for our youngsters to learn.”
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Captain Neels Volschenk echoed his coach’s honesty about the previous result but said the squad was ready to respond.
“Our egos took a knock. It’s one thing to lose, but the way we lost the game, that’s what hurts the most,” he said. “We need to man up and front up and go from there.”
Volschenk was clear that the Cheetahs would need to raise their level significantly to claim a place in the final.
“We need to be a lot better than we were the previous weekend, because I know the Pumas are also going to be better than they were against us,” he said. “It’s a semi-final and the fact that it’s here makes a huge difference. We’re ready.”
“A lot of guys are from Bloemfontein. To have it here, at home, is definitely special.”
Sunday’s clash in Bloemfontein kicks off at 3:30pm following the first semi-final between Griquas and the Lions in Kimberley (1pm).
Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images
The post Frans: Cheetahs must man up appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Frans Steyn says the Cheetahs need to front up physically when they host the Pumas in Sunday’s Currie Cup semi-final at Free State Stadium.
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