Cheetahs keep play-off dream alive
The Cheetahs may be second from the bottom on the Super Rugby standings, but they have not given up on their dreams of reaching the play-offs.
Following their historic first appearance in the play-offs last year, the 2014 season has not gone according to plan – just one win and last week's draw against the Chiefs.
They have shipped points and tries at an alarming rate, with question marks over the coaching staff's inability to arrest the defensive frailties.
However, they are not willing to throw in the towel just yet and feel there is a way back into the play-off race.
"There mere fact that so few teams win abroad, or even away from home, means the back door is ever so slightly ajar for us," assistant coach Hawies Fourie told this website.
He was making reference to the fact that there has been just 10 away wins in 49 games, of which only two have been on foreign soil.
"We'll have to win just about all our remaining games if we want to remain in the play-off race."
He was adamant that they still have a chance of reaching the play-offs, despite the enormous odds stacked against them.
"That [the play-offs] remains our goal, but at this stage we are well aware we are under pressure and must win just about all our remaining games and there are simply no easy games.
"However, we believe we are on an upwards curve and we can still slip in through the back door."
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské announced an unchanged side earlier this week for the Round Nine encounter against the Crusaders in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
"It is always good to have continuity with regards to team selection," Drotské told a media briefing.
"We've lost one or two players in recent weeks, but if you compare that with a lot of other teams we've been quite lucky so far.
"We've lost Coenie Oosthuizen [prop], as well as Francois Venter [centre], but other than that we've had much continuity. That is something you dearly need in this competition."
By Jan de Koning
