Cheetahs to tighten things up

Cheetahs coach Rory Duncan says that one-on-one tackling will be a focus for his team ahead of their clash with the high-flying Pumas next week.

Duncan was full of praise for his charges after their bonus-point victory over Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday, but made it clear that there is still room for improvement.

Seeing his side's win as a huge positive, Duncan said they didn't expect to garner five points in the City of Diamonds, but he was very happy with the collective effort put in by his young side.

The victory sees the Cheetahs move to fifth spot on the Currie Cup log, with a tough outing against the Pumas in Bloemfontein on the cards for next weekend.

"We are very happy with the fact that we racked up five points against Griquas. They are a difficult side to beat in Kimberley, and the team did well to come away with a bonus-point win.

"Now we face a Pumas side who are on a high after beating the Sharks over the weekend, and we know that it's going to be another tough encounter," Duncan said.

One aspect of play that the Cheetahs will be looking at earnestly in the coming week is their one-on-one tackling. The visitors let some crucial tackles slip against the Peacock Blues, and Duncan feels that could be costly against a well-organised side like the Pumas.

"We will have a look at our discipline, but we will definitely be spending some time working on our one-on-one defence. That wasn't up to scratch against Griquas and that is one thing you can ill-afford against a good attacking unit like the Pumas.

"Otherwise we are pretty happy with where we are. We showed good character when it was needed and we finished well in the end," Duncan said.

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