Cheetahs add another Bok to their 30-plus club
TRANSFER NEWS: The Cheetahs’ 30-plus club is growing, following the addition of another veteran Springbok.
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie has confirmed they have “agreed to terms” with 34-year-old Springbok loose forward Jacques Potgieter, who has accepted an offer of a one-year contract in Bloemfontein.
He will join fellow Bok warhorses Ruan Pienaar (36) and Frans Steyn Frans Steyn (33) at the Cheetahs.
Potgieter, who spent most of the past few years on the sidelines with injuries, passed a fitness test before being offered a contract.
Having played all three of his Tests in 2012, Potgieter started out with the Sharks, then moved to the Eastern Province Kings, before joining the Bulls – where he became a Bok.
He fell out of favour with Bok coach Heyneke Meyer and joined the Waratahs, where he won a Super Rugby title in 2015. He had stints with the Blues in Japan and the Durban-based Sharks, before rejoining Bulls.
The Cheetahs coach, Fourie, told a virtual media briefing on Thursday that he first wanted to ensure Potgieter was in Bloemfontein for the “right reasons”.
“His agent and I will conclude the final details of his contract today [Thursday],” Fourie said, adding: “In principle, he accepted our offer yesterday [Wednesday] and he will be contracted by the Cheetahs from [Monday,] March 1.”
The coach said Potgieter was in good physical condition, but there were issues around his fitness – as he hasn’t played first-class rugby for almost three years.
“He has won a Super Rugby title with the Waratahs, he played for the Bulls, Sharks and Springboks – so he has a lot of experience,” Fourie said.
“It’s always good to have players who have played elsewhere and bring experience to us. They can share that with the younger players – such as George Cronjé, Marcell Muller and Gideon van Wyk.
“They [the young players] can learn from the experienced players such as Jacques. Their game will improve a lot quicker, as a result of this experience.
“A part of our strategy is to have these youngsters learning from senior players and this will allow us to promote them to the senior squad.”
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