AUDIO: Cheetahs face depth dilemma
REACTION: The Free State Cheetahs’ Currie Cup campaign is about to get a lot more challenging as the team shift their focus to the Pro14.
Thus far, the Free State Cheetahs have slumped to two consecutive Currie Cup defeats and found themselves at the bottom table.
The humiliating 0-32 defeat at the hands of defending champions the Western Province on Saturday, and a 12-34 to the Blue Bulls in Round one could see the FS Cheetahs out of the playoff race.
The Bloemfontein side faced the Sharks next weekend, while a bulk of their team will have to head to Europe to take on Irish giants Munster in the Pro14 opener.
But, despite a dismal 2018 Currie Cup start and losing first-choice players to the Pro14 campaign next week, head coach Daan Human remain optimistic.
“We were not good enough, but the most harmful thing we could now is to point fingers at each other,” Human told reporters at Newlands.
“The reality is that in three days’ time we leave for Europe with a 26-man squad to play Munster and the Ospreys in PRO 14, so we will have to see what players we have left.
“But we have a group of players who have played some Currie Cup before, so we are always optimistic.
“Next week everybody knows that we must make a very big step up because we have not been good enough. Each individual has to take a long look at themselves because we can all be better.
“What is important for us as a coaching group is not only to focus on the first choice team but to take care of the second, third and in our case, fourth choices. We have to give those fringe players attention because we will need them,”
The FS Cheetahs enjoyed majority of the possession in the first 20 minutes but failed to adjust their tactics in a match played in torrid weather conditions.
WP, on the other hand, took full advantage of Cheetahs’ dismay and scored four tries for the bonus-point win.
“We had so much possession in the first 20 minutes and we came away with nothing,” Humans said.
“In those conditions, we have learnt that if you aren’t making a metre with ball in hand then you have to make another plan,”
Captain Oupa Mohoje revealed his side failed to execute the plan.
“It was a really tough day,” Mohoje told reporters, adding: “But just as it was tough for us it was tough for WP too, and at the end of the day, it was who could adjust better.
“We had a clear plan and I think the players didn’t execute the plan as we planned in the week, but I think there’s also a lesson we can take into PRO14,”
By Leezil Hendricks
@leezil07
@rugby365com
