Cheetahs Challenge - teams and predictions

PREVIEW – ROUND ONE: The Cheetahs’ mantra for 2024 has been ‘development’ and it will again be the theme at the Challenge Series that starts in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.

The action starts when a powerful Emerging Ireland face off against the Pumas.

In the main match the Cheetahs host the Western Force – a team they played in a series of four matches last year.

The Cheetahs were victorious in the first two rounds – beating Western Force 31-27 and 27-12 in Bloemfontein.

Both teams moved to Perth, where the Free State outfit suffered a narrow 27-30 defeat, before exacting revenge and beating the Western Force 32-22 at the Claremont Ova in Perth.

The Cheetahs return to action after their heartbreaking (34-43) loss to the Lions in the Currie Cup semifinal just over a fortnight ago.

The Challenge Series – in which they will play against the Force, Griffons and Emerging Ireland – is preparation for their return to the Challenge Cup in Europe in December.

Frans Steyn, Cheetahs Director of Rugby, said the encounter with the Force – a team that beat the Crusaders, Reds and Waratahs in Super Rugby Pacific – will be a good measure of where they find themselves.

“You measure your squad against top teams,” he said, adding: “This will be a good test for us.”

Cheetahs captain Victor Sekekete said they will focus on improving key aspects of their game – like playing at tempo and the accuracy of their kicking game.

“We must focus on playing in the right areas,” Sekekete told @rugby365com, adding: “In international competitions it is about using the opportunities you get.

“That is why it is so important for us that everybody in the [Cheetahs] squad are on the same page.

“Once we done with this series everybody must understand how we want to play when we play in international competitions [like the Challenge Cup in Europe.”

South Africa-born former Force prop Chris Heiberg is the forwards coach for the Force.

Wallabies lock Darcy Swain, who moved from the Brumbies in the off-season, will start from the bench.

The Cheetahs will be without a number of key players through injury – Cameron Dawson (calf), Louis van der Westhuizen (knee), Daniel Maartens (hand), Jeandre Rudolph (AC joint), Reagan Oranje (knee), Marko Janse van Rensburg (knee), Ali Mgijima (jaw), Banie Britz (arm), Banele Mthenjane (hamstring) and James Verity-Amm (knee).

(Cheetahs Director of Rugby Frans Steyn and captain Victor Sekekete preview the Challenge series…)

* In the early match Emerging Ireland will face a Pumas team very much in a transitional phase.

The Irish visitors have been forced to make several changes top the squad initially announced – with Jordan Duggan, Shayne Bolton, Jack Boyle and Tommy O’Brien unavailable.

Simon Easterby’s Emerging Ireland squad assembled at the IRFU High-Performance Centre in Blanchardstown last Wednesday, September 25.

The 33-player group travelled to Bloemfontein this past Saturday.

Easterby, who led Emerging Ireland’s successful Challenge campaign in 2022, again has an experienced coaching ticket to support him.

It includes Andrew Goodman, the successor to Mike Catt as Ireland’s backs coach.

One player the 41-year-old Goodman got to know well in the last season or two is the highly-rated Sam Prendergast.

The talented Leinster Academy graduate has already made 19 senior appearances for the province.

Prendergast helped Leinster to make a winning start in the United Rugby Championship against Edinburgh last Friday.

Goodman praised how the 21-year-old flyhalf applied himself during Ireland’s mid-year tour despite not getting any game time against the Springboks.

“As it was for me, for Sam [Prendergast] to come away to South Africa was a great experience for him,” Goodman said.

“He wasn’t there to make up the numbers, he was pushing hard every training [session].

“It was great for him to build another level of understanding around how the Irish team plays the game, and also for him to get confident as the No.10, calling the shots.

“We expect him to come in after that experience and lead this [Emerging Ireland] team around.

“Looking forward to seeing him.

“I thought he had a good start last Friday in terms of some of the way he drove the Leinster team around.

“He’ll be looking to kick on in this tour and put his name forward for future Leinster fixtures.”

Looking ahead to the game Easterby said: “The Pumas will present a real test, coming as it does in the first of three games in seven days. They’re a physical team who have come off a competitive Currie Cup campaign.

“The three games will ask different questions of the group and that is exactly the kind of environment we want to foster and to see how the players react to a pressurised and competitive environment.

“We had a good pitch session on Monday and the players are itching to get out there.

“We will be managing our resources given the proximity of the games and it’s a younger and less experienced group than the one that competed two years ago.

“But the talent, energy and enthusiasm of this group have been obvious over the last six days. We’re delighted to be here in Bloemfontein and the squad is ready to get going.”

The Pumas will be without veteran lock and captain Shane Kirkwood, who announced his retirement after the conclusion of the Currie Cup season.

No.8 Kwanda, Dimaza takes over the captaincy of a very inexperienced Pumas tea.

All of Wednesday’s teams and predictions are below …

Emerging Ireland v Pumas
(Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 16.00; 15.00 Ireland time; 14.00 GMT)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Emerging Ireland by 12 points

Teams

Emerging Ireland: 15 Ben O’Connor, 14 Rob Russell, 13 Sean O’Brien, 12 Hugh Gavin, 11 Zac Ward, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Matthew Devine, 8 James Culhane, 7 Alex Kendellen (captain), 6 Cormac Izuchukwu, 5 Darragh Murray, 4 Harry Sheridan, 3 Jack Aungier, 2 Stephen Smyth, 1 Mark Donnelly.
Replacements: 16 Gus McCarthy, 17 Alex Usanov, 18 Ronan Foxe, 19 Evan O’Connell, 20 Sean Jansen, 21 Ethan Coughlan, 22 Jack Murphy, 23 Jude Postlethwaite.

Pumas: 15 Tino Swanepoel, 14 Lundi Msenge, 13 Theuns Pretorius, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Darren Adonis, 10 Danrich Visagie, 9 Richman Gora, 8 Kwanda, Dimaza (captain), 7 Andre Fouche, 6 Ntsika Fisanti, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Hanno Theunissen, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Etienne Janeke.
Replacements: 16 Darnell Osuagwu, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Eduan Swart, 19 Tiaan de Klerk, 20 Marvelous Mashimbyi, 21 Russwill Fredericks, 22 Wian van Niekerk, 23 Phiko Sobahle.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse
Assistant referees: DJ Hefer, Phillip Kotze
TMO Stephan Geldenhuys

Cheetahs v Western Force
(Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein – Kick-off: 19.00; 17.00 GMT; 01.00, Thursday, October 3, Perth time)

Prediction

@rugby365com: Cheetahs by eight points

Teams

Cheetahs: 15 Michael Annies, 14 Asanda Kunene, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Jooste Nel, 11 Litha Nkula, 10 Ethan Wentzel, 9 Jandre Nel, 8 Friedle Olivier, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Corne Fourie, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Hencus van Wyk, 18 Laurence Victor, 19 Pierre-Raymond Uys, 20 Aidon Davis, 21 Sisonke Vumazonke, 22 Andell Loubser, 23 Rewan Kruger.

Western Force: 15 Isaac Ratumaitavuki-kneepkens, 14 Justin Landman, 13 Harry Potter, 12 Sio Tompkinson, 11 Mac Grealy, 10 Max Burey, 9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Reed Prinsep (captain) ,7 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 6 Will Harris, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Josh Thompson, 3 Tiaan Tauakipulu, 2 Nic Dolly, 1 Marley Pearce.
Replacements: 16 Tom Horton, 17 Harry Hoopert, 18 Sila Titiuti, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Titi Nofoagatotoa, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Coby Miln, 23 Divas Palu.

Referee: Stephan Geldenhuys
Assistant referees: Ashton Ockhuys, Tiaan Engelbrecht
TMO: Ben Whitehouse

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