Cheetahs getting up to speed

 

The Free State side ended their Super Rugby campaign with their first-ever win at Loftus Versfeld against the Bulls in what was Smith's second game in charge.

 

After outscoring the Bulls by five tries to three, Smith said that he is already beginning to see promising progress in the way that his side played.

 

"The way the guys have responded in the last six practises we have had I am very grateful. I always said that if we work hard the results will follow and the guys believed which was what it was about.

 

"We wanted to play a good style, a good brand and something that the guys can believe in and I think we saw that," he said.

 

While happy with the result, Smith knows that his side can still tighten up defensively as they build towards the Currie Cup.

 

"Defensively we made a step up from last week, but there is a lot of work to be done and I was disappointed with two or three tries that we gave away when we were one-on-one and missed tackles which is not acceptable.

 

"I think the pace that we played the game at is something the guys are not used to. There is a saying that you can play yourself off your feet and I think that does happen.

 

"We haven't really spent much time on defence, this week a little bit more than the week before, defence wins finals and that will definitely be a priority," he explained.

 

Smith said that people can expect to see the Cheetahs stick to their traditional strengths and run the ball when given the opportunity under his guidance.

 

"I think we should stick to our strengths of moving the ball, and the Free State culture is about playing with the ball in hand, but there is also a balance and we are not going to play touch rugby.

 

"There is a lot of hard work ahead, our approach is a bit different and I would like to equip 50 players to play well.

 

"We are in a building phase which means a lot of time in the sun, but if that is what it is going to take," he added.