Frans Steyn says his young props are improving with every game as the Cheetahs turn their attention to Sunday’s Currie Cup clash against the Stormers XXIII in Cape Town. DYLAN JOHNSON reports.
The Cheetahs fell to their first defeat of the campaign in Kimberley last week, going down 24-21 to defending champions Griquas.
Despite the loss, Steyn was encouraged by what he saw from some of the youngsters in a fiercely physical contest.
“We’ve got young and inexperienced props and the only way for them to learn is to be in those situations,” said Steyn.
“I don’t think there are a lot of 21-year-olds and 23-year-olds who will go to Kimberley and stand [firm] in the scrum like they did, especially with so much emotion and in such a physical game. I’m happy with our guys.”
MORE: Frans upbeat despite Cheetahs defeat
Steyn singled out loosehead Tebogo Nkosi and tighthead Frankie Dos Reis for praise.
“Frankie put in a massive shift,” he said. “Tebogo, for me, is a massive talent. He’s 21 years old.
“The only way they’re going to learn is to play. We need to back them and make them better. This is the route we chose at the beginning and we need to make it work.
“The gaps between the players are getting closer. That’s a good thing for us.”
ALSO: Stormers chuffed to silence Facebook critics
Captain Neels Volschenk said the Cheetahs took confidence from how they responded against Griquas after trailing 17-7 at half-time and was clear on what Sunday’s clash means.
“The Stormers is a massive game,” said Volschenk. “We’re halfway through the season and it’s just about being better than the previous week.”
Volschenk was unfazed by the switch to Athlone Stadium, with the Stormers XXIII moved from their usual Cape Town Stadium venue to accommodate the URC side’s All Blacks clash on Friday night.
“It might be wet, it’s the Cape, but at the end of the day it’s a rugby field and it’s the same for both sides,” he said.
“If I was a Stormers player I would probably prefer to play in Green Point as well.”
Photo: Danie Van Der Lith/Gallo Images
The post Frans backs raw front row to grow on the job appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Frans Steyn says his young props are improving with every game as the Cheetahs turn their attention to Sunday’s Currie Cup clash against the Stormers XXIII in Cape Town.
The post Frans backs raw front row to grow on the job appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
