WATCH: Klein committed to take Cheetah Queens to franchise status

WATCH as Cheetah Queens’ new head coach Aschin Klein revealed his main objective with his new team in Bloemfontein.

The Free State Women have undergone rapid changes ahead of the jam-packed 2025 Women’s Premier Division.

The Bloemfontein team has a new head coach in the shape of Klein.

He started his coaching career in 1999 and has been involved in women’s rugby for more than two decades.

Not only was he part of establishing the Titans Women’s Rugby Club now known as The Titans Rugby Academy in 2005, but he also coached the Kenya Lionesses 7s team during the 2015 World Series Qualifiers and Olympic Qualifier – helping them secure their first International Trophy.

He was recently the Bulls Daisies forwards coach and was a crucial part in back-to-back wins before joining the Cheetah Queens ahead of the new Women’s Premier Division.

*Article continues below…

“I first want to thank Thando Manana [Blue Bulls Company (BBCo.) Special Projects Manager and High-Performance Women’s Rugby Manager] for giving me the opportunity when they needed a forwards coach,” Klein told Rugby365

“The exposure to the fully professional side was really great.

“The programme was led by a very experienced coach Hayden Groepes. He gave me the opportunity to learn a lot, he was part of the Bulls Super Rugby sides and comes with a vast knowledge of experience.

“[Bulls Daisies] won the title last year and it was a nice feeling. I knew my contract was ending at the end of September because they were looking to bring in female coaches, so I had enough time to look elsewhere.

“The Cheetahs gave me the opportunity to become head coach, and it is an exciting time.

“I can now leverage my 20 years’ experience with last season’s experience at the Bulls Daisies and assist the Cheetah Queens from seventh in the Premier Division to possibly ending up in the Final and even winning it.”

Klein revealed it will be a massive challenge, given that Cheetahs are not a professional side like Bulls Daisies.

However, not one to shy away from a challenge he is determined to change the Bloemfontein team’s status and hand 30 professional contracts to players soon.

“The Cheetahs are fully amateur. At the moment I am not only the head coach but also the head of women’s rugby. My job is to put structures in place to get women’s rugby in a better place and hopefully secure franchise status later this season.

“We have taken up an approach to do things semiprofessional. We don’t have the budget at the moment to contract players but we have gotten a few players that came in good faith because they know me and want to be part of change.

“It’s players that want to be part of the structured programme and want to win the Premier division.

“So although we are running the programme semiprofessional, we are still amateur.”

Klein added: “At the moment we offer the players an opportunity to be part of our squad, we provide accommodation, meals, and gym facilities and have partnered with Free State Academy of Sports, who have availed all their facilities, gym equipment and resources to be able to run a professional set-up.

“Once a player has made the final squad, they will receive a match fee and that’s how we can accommodate them at this stage.

“Going forward we would want to offer 30 players professional contracts in the new future.”

The team has been boosted by a couple of new players.

Former Junior Springbok utility back Chloe Adams, EP Queens outside back Ronne Fillis and former Bulls & Griquas loose forward Mekyla-Chante Bennett officially joined the Free State Women’s Rugby Team for the 2025 Women’s Premier Division.

Leopards captain Monique Reens is another player who signed on the dotted line.

The others on the list are Junior Springbok, Charlize Jacobs from EP Queens, former Springbok 7s & 15 loose forward Nokubonga Siko, SWD EaGirls twins Neidine Solomons & Treidine Solomons and the explosive Ziyanda Gqontshi joined from Border Women’s Rugby while the hot stepper Tamzon Morgan joined from the Bulls and Simamkela Kaulela from the Lions.

The Free State Women will open their Women’s Premier Division against last year’s finalist Western Province Women in Cape Town, followed by another tough encounter against Sharks Women in Durban.

Picture credit: @FreeStateWomen