Cheetahs boss wants answers
Free State Rugby Union President Lyndsey Mould is determined to solve the 'problems' that saw the Cheetahs finish with the Currie Cup Wooden Spoon.
The Bloemfontein side are preparing to face first division champions the EP Kings in the first of two promotion/relegation fixtures this weekend, and a frustrated Mould is desperate to figure out how they found themselves in this position.
Coach Naka Drotske's team have had to deal with a punishing injury list this season, but Mould is not satisified with that as an excuse and told Volksblad that he will be launching an investigation next week regardless of the result against the Kings on Friday.
The Cheetahs have qualified for the Currie Cup play-offs in 12 of the last 13 campaigns, and have not played a promotion/relegation match since 1988, so Mould will be asking some tough questions of the management and coaching staff next week.
"If we beat the EP Kings on Friday or not, I want to get all the decision makers together and if we have to act aggressively, we will do that.
"A lot of things have gone wrong this season and we have played without a number of our stalwarts, but that is no excuse. There simply isn't any excuse," he said.
The threat of relegation has significantly increased the pressure on Drotske and his coaching staff, and Mould made it clear that losing to the Kings is simply not an option.
"If we are to be relegated, it will have major consequences for the Free State Rugby Union. We will lose sponsorships and that will mean that everybody's jobs will be on the line. Friday night is all that the players and management must focus on, nothing else," he added.
The criticism will be viewed as quite harsh by some given the fact that the team enjoyed their best Super Rugby season ever and were in with a shout of sneaking into the Currie Cup semifinals on the last weekend before going down to Western Province at Newlands.
Cheetahs CEO Harold Verster admitted that some tough questions will have to be asked in the coming weeks, but rejected the idea that the franchise is badly run and added that he has full confidence in their business plan, with their sponsorship from Toyota secure until the end of 2013.
"We have to right the wrongs, no matter how hard it is. In any business if there is trouble, then you need to look at the problems and make the necessary decisions to right them.
"There are many people who think that Free State Rugby is badly run, but I don't see it. We are a professional entity. When we applied for a Super Rugby franchise, we were second best of all the local teams because of our business plan. The Cheetahs are still run on the same plan," he explained.
