Cheetahs building 'momentum'
The Cheetahs will take some much needed momentum into a difficult Australasian Super Rugby tour out of their 15-9 win over the Bulls at the Free State stadium in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Beating the visitors for the first time in 12 outings in Super Rugby, the Bloemfontein-based side now head for Australia – where they will face the Rebels and Reds, before hopping across the Tasman Sea to play the Hurricanes and Blues in New Zealand.
On the back of a good victory over the Bulls, captain Adriaan Strauss and his team may just produce a couple of surprises.
"In the past we've put up some big scores when we played good rugby, but after this match I am actually speechless," Strauss said of the tryless win over the Bulls in dire weather conditions in Bloemfontein.
"I am very proud of the guys.
"We stuck together and we pulled it through.
"It is great for us as a team before we go on tour. This sort of result just lifts the spirit in the camp," Strauss added.
After much criticism for his poor kicking performance against the Lions the previous week, the Cheetahs' Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen produced a stellar kicking performance.
A number of miss drop-goal attempts aside, Goosen contributed all the points in his side's victory – kicking an early drop-goal and four penalties.
What is even better news is that Goosen achieved this feat in wet conditions similar to what is expected on their upcoming tour.
"Credit must go to Johan Goosen and the rest of the kickers," the Cheetahs captain said.
"They all performed very well. Our loose forwards, our whole pack. Everyone was very good.
"The decision making at the back was excellent and I think we kept the Bulls under pressure.
"The guys at the back showed that we can play in these sort of conditions. I am just immensely proud of the whole team's effort."
The Bloemfontein-based side departs for Down Under on Sunday.
Cheetahs squad:
Forwards: Philip van der Walt, Pieter Labuschagné, Johannes Prinsloo, Jean Cook, Francois Uys, Lodewyk de Jager, Rynhardt Landman, Andries Ferreira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Caylib Oosthuizen, Trevor Nyakane, Nicolaas van Dyk, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Ryno Barnes, Hercu Liebenberg.
Backs: Willie le Roux, Hennie Daniller, Cornal Hendricks, Raymond Rhule, Rayno Benjamin, Johann Sadie, Francois Venter, Howard Mnisi, Johan Goosen, Elgar Watts, Shaun Venter, Sarel Pretorius.
SAPA
