VIDEO: Cheetahs face interesting Pienaar poser
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie has not made up his mind if he is going to select star playmaker Ruan Pienaar at No.9 or No.10 for the Currie Cup semifinal showdown with the Bulls in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Pienaar, 39, missed last Saturday’s trip to Loftus Versfeld due to family bereavement.
The Cheetahs – with Sibabalo Masuku starting at flyhalf and Zinedine Booysen providing cover off the bench – eked out a 31-27 win in Pretoria.
Having supported his family during a trying time, Pienaar is available for selection again.
However, the coach must decide whether Pienaar will replace Masuku, who had an impressive outing after a few barren weeks, or Rewan Kruger, who has also hit a rich vein of form.
“He [Pienaar] will definitely be back in the team, after spending time with his family,” Fourie told @rugby365com.
“We respected that and it was the best decision for the team as well.
“It was big from Ruan to make the call on Thursday, saying that it was better for Siya [Masuku] to know early that he was going to start.
“I respect him a lot and it is good to have him back for the semifinal.”
(Article continues below the Hawies Fourie interview …)
Fourie said discipline will be the biggest work-on this week, having conceded 16 penalties to the six of the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday.
“We can’t afford to concede those soft penalties,” he told @rugby365com.
“There will be penalties and mistakes, but it depends on how we react to those that will determine the outcome of the game.
“Last week, when we conceded penalties, we had to defend our tryline with our lives and we succeeded.”
He said that while they can take heart from last week’s bravery, he is well aware the Bulls will come back with some new tricks for the knock-out game.
“This is a new game and we start from scratch,” Fourie said.
Having already matched the Bulls’ physicality last week, they will have the confidence in not being bullied this week.
“We are really well-conditioned,” he said adding: “The trainers – Carel Bester and Jan de Toit – work really hard with the team during the last nine to 10 months.
“The guys are stronger and we don’t back off when teams want to take us on physically.
“Previously the Cheetahs were known for throwing the ball around and trying to avoid contact.
“The team we currently have don’t shy away from contact.”
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