New format will suit Cheetahs - Drotske

[TRF_Cymro]

Coach Naka Drotske believes that his Cheetahs side will benefit from a newly restructured Super Rugby competition this year.

The men from Bloemfontein have battled in Super Rugby in the past, especially on their travels, and are yet to pick up a victory in Australia and New Zealand.

The Cheetahs have had a much better time of it in the Currie Cup, South Africa's domestic tournament - crowned champions as recently as 2007, while making it through to the semi-finals in last year's tournament.

The Super Rugby competition has now been expanded to 15 teams and will feature more derby matches, meaning that the Cheetahs will have more fixtures against their local rivals.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3824_6648973,00.html​

 

[Cthulhu]

I like this I cannot wait for this season, It will be the best one yet. Cheetahs and Lions will definitely look like new teams thats for sure, for me Cheetahs are one of those teams if there not playing WP or Stormers I tend to cheer for them

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I also cheer for the Cheetahs unless they play against WP/Stormers.

I'm not so sure this will be the best year for them, though.

Yes, more derbies will suit them and the fact that they only play 4 out of 16 or 17 games out of SA will be good as they are horrible travelers.

But on the negative side:
1) a much longer tounrament will test player depth, which they don't have, at least in the backs and they may be found out
2) especially considering they only get a bye at the 2nd last week of the tournament and may be running on empty just after half way through
3) the fact that every team isn't playing every team counts against them this year as they will be missing the Force and Chiefs, both teams they would have targeted being the 2nd 'worst' teams of respectively Aus and NZ and teams they are perhaps on par with

In that sense the Stormers have a better draw; missing the Hurricanes and Reds which I consider the 2nd best teams of NZ and Aus and both tricky games.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I also cheer for the Cheetahs unless they play against WP/Stormers.

I'm not so sure this will be the best year for them, though.

Yes, more derbies will suit them and the fact that they only play 4 out of 16 or 17 games out of SA will be good as they are horrible travelers.

But on the negative side:
1) a much longer tounrament will test player depth, which they don't have, at least in the backs and they may be found out
2) especially considering they only get a bye at the 2nd last week of the tournament and may be running on empty just after half way through
3) the fact that every team isn't playing every team counts against them this year as they will be missing the Force and Chiefs, both teams they would have targeted being the 2nd 'worst' teams of respectively Aus and NZ and teams they are perhaps on par with

In that sense the Stormers have a better draw; missing the Hurricanes and Reds which I consider the 2nd best teams of NZ and Aus and both tricky games.

The Chiefs will have a strong side this year and I do see them win lots of hard games

 

[Seaton]

2) especially considering they only get a bye at the 2nd last week of the tournament and may be running on empty just after half way through.

I think it is an absolute Scandal with regards to the Stormers having a bye in the first week of the competition

 

[JJR]

New format will help The Cheetahs, but not as much as they will hope...they have to start performing well against non-south africans...really stupid that they leave their best for the best and lose against the others...makes no sense.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

"I think it is an absolute Scandal with regards to the Stormers having a bye in the first week of the competition"

Ja, a bit of tough luck but with 15 teams in the comp, someone has to bite the bullet.
Missing the 'Tahs and 'Canes is a bit of luck, though as both those games should be tough even though we beat those sides convincingly last year ('Tahs twice!).

"Chiefs have a strong squad.."

Who have they got extra? Kahui and Sivivatu? Agreed that those are quality players but I can't see 2 backline players make such a huge difference. For the Cheetahs, they have captain Juan Smith back and their best player in Heinrich Brussow. That said, the Cheetahs did lose a lot of depth at the back, though. I still think the Cheetahs are on par with the Chiefs.



I would like to see the Cheetahs do what they did toward the end of last yaer and pick some Griquas backs. Even with Basson moving to the Bulls the Griquas still have good backline players of Super rugby standard in Sarel Pretorius, Naas Botha and Riaan Viljoen which the Cheetahs should use even though I understand that they give their boys preference. My picks:

9 Sarel Pretorius
10 Naas Botha
11 Jongi Nokwe (or is his leg still not healed?)
12 Philip Snyman
13 Robert Ebersohn
14 Philip Burger
15 Hennie Daniller

20 Tertius Carse
21 Sias Ebersohn
22 Riaan Viljoen

Edit: Jeez, reading my own post just highlighted the loss of Bosman, Mapoe, Potgieter and Basson. Best of luck, Cheetahs!