Cheetahs target Stormers scalp
Bloemfontein - Cheetahs hooker and captain Adriaan Strauss says his team will gain much confidence from their Super Rugby victory over the Force at the Free State Stadium on Saturday night.
The Cheetahs beat the Perth-based side 17-13.
It wasn't the most exiting of performances, but the home side will be happy to take on the Stormers next weekend in Cape Town on the back of a victory.
"We've had a couple of close encounters the last couple of weeks and will be happy to go to Cape Town with the victory over the Force. Our local derbies are always tough and against the Stormers it won't be any different," Strauss said.
One facet of their play the Cheetahs will be looking at will be their scrums. Normally it is one of the Bloemfontein-based side's strong points, but the Force had them in a bit of a shambles, something the Stormers would have taken notice of. Their breakdown play will also need to be scrutinised with flanker Heinrich Brüssow not having as big an impact against his Australian counterpart David Pocock as had been predicted.
"It was a very tough game. We expected as much. We will definitely have a look at the game during the week and rectify the problem areas, but there isn't much to be concerned about. I thought that we weren't that effective at the breakdown area, but we got many penalties. I think we capatalised well on that," Strauss added.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské was a happy man with his team achieving only their fourth victory this year, but admitted that not all had gone according to plan against the visitors.
"They frustrated us at the breakdown, slowing down a lot of our possession. I thought we were good on defence, but we lacked intensity on the attack. We need to remedy that before the Stormers game," Drotské said.
Force captain Pocock lauded his forwards for their good all round performance, but was specially impressed with the scrums.
"We scrummed well all night, it is something we have been working on for some time now. It was a very tough battle. We had perfect conditions and wanted the ball to do the work, but just couldn't pull it off. The Cheetahs' defence was also very good and made it difficult for us," Pocock explained.
The Force, with only two victories from ten Super Rugby games, will now travel to Durban to take on the Sharks. The latter have only won five of their ten games and will provide the visitors with the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways.
"They will be tough, no doubt about that, but we're looking forward to it," Pocock said.
Saffa - 2012-05-06 19:07
Without Goosen they are useless
Rinus - 2012-05-06 19:16
Ek is dankbaar die Bulls was klaar in Bloem! Die Cheetahs is so onvoorspelbaar ENIGE iets kan gebeur.. GO Cheetahs!
steyts - 2012-05-07 09:43
Ek is bang vir die naweek!! My span hou daarvan om teen die cheetahs te verloor op Nuweland!!!! My vingers gaan weer moer toe gekou wees na die naweek!!
johan.hattingh.5 - 2012-05-06 19:21
Ek droom ook heerlike drome dat julle die stormers gaan slag - maar nie soos julle Saterdag gespeel het nie!
Melt - 2012-05-06 19:45
Die Cheetas het Saterdag gewen, baie geluk. Ek glo egter die Stormers gaan n perd van n ander kleur wees. Isak ou maat moet nie dat sekere Bulls ondersteuners jou kwaad maak nie. Soos gese die seer van Maart le nog diep en gaan 2 Junie nog meer eina wees. Hulle speel die naweek teen die Warathas en is seker redelik bekommerd? As n Saffa ondersteun ek hulle vir die wedstryd, al gooi hulle of sekere van hulle erge modder na die Stormers. Met die geldprobleem wat nou weer in die koerante pronk, kan n mens hulle ook seker nie kwalik neem nie of hoe? Saterdagaand le die Stormers weer bo op die lys. So tussen my en jou hulle het nou al vir amper twee jaar erg tekere gegaan dat die Confidence cup wat die Stormers gewen het niks is nie, nou dat hulle vir 2 dae bo in die kompitiesie is nou gil en juig hulle???? Kom ons gee egter bietjie kt waar dit toekom. Baie geluk met julle Vodcom wen oor Natal. Strongs vir Sat se halfeind teen Griekwas.
Ren%c3%a9 - 2012-05-06 20:06
@Melt, hahaha, het julle die 'Confidence Cup' gewen?
Rinus - 2012-05-06 20:08
Ons is in groot moeilikheid Melt - met Potgieter beseer het ons nou net een goeie losvoorspeler in die span EN 'n Kaptein wat niks beteken nie. Erens gaan die wiele afval as hulle aanhou met Spies...
Bergelmir - 2012-05-06 20:28
@ rinus, ek stem saam met jou dat spies niks beteken nie, maar met 'n ou soos van veldze wat inkom behoort julle nie te bekommerd te wees nie. Ek weet nie hoekom die bulle hom laat gaan volgende seisoen nie, hy impress my geweldig baie. Die waratahs lyk ook nie goed nie, so ek voorspel 'n wen vir die bulle, maar sonder bonus punt. Ek weet egter nie oor julle laaste 2 games nie. Ek dink nie daars iets vir julle daarin nie. Stormers groete uit die kaap :)
BlousteBlou - 2012-05-06 21:46
Isak.Visser, daar is iets wat jy moet raaksien voordat jy so grootbek raak. Uit die 4 Noordelike spanne wat teen die 4 Suidelike spanne gespeel het, het slegs 1 suidelike span deurgekom. Insiggewend was dit die een wat bo geëindig het nadat hulle teen al die swak spanne in hulle streek kon wen. Omdat hulle bo geëindig het, speel hulle die die swakste span in die Noordelike groep. Die feit dat dit met hulle goed gegaan het sovêr is dalk baie meer uit genade as uit verdienste.
RealTokolos - 2012-05-07 03:34
Rinus "Stormer" Groeneveld... gaan support die Strikers eerder asb. Die Bulle het jou nie nodig nie... Laat jou voete raas ou perd!!!
Bergelmir - 2012-05-07 14:41
Lyk my ou tokolos is verlief op spies...
RealTokolos - 2012-05-07 18:26
Wie sê vir jou Tokolos IS NIE Spies nie jou aap!!!
Melt - 2012-05-06 19:47
O ja Isak daardie rugbyfabriek "Grey kollege" het die jaar darem sleg slae gekry teen ons Paarl se span, ne?
Wesley - 2012-05-06 19:58
Ek het al gewonder, die Cheethas gebruik die verskoning dat die ander unies spelers koop. Ek wonder net, is dit nie dalk die spelers wat weg WIL gaan nie en nie vir die Cheethas te speel nie
Rinus - 2012-05-06 20:06
Wesley, ek dink hulle wil wegkom van Naka - die mees oninspirerende coach in SA rugby. "Toe ons met minder as 7 punte teen die Chiefs verloor het, het dit soos 'n oorwinning gevoel"
Rinus - 2012-05-06 20:11
En voor dit het hulle probeer wegkom van Helgaard! :-)
Wesley - 2012-05-06 19:48
Niel - 2012-05-06 20:00
Selfde as artikel oor bulls teen rebels, maar net media se manier om hype te skep oor die game. Ek is n cheetah ondersteuner en ek glo ons het n kans om die stormers te wen, dis net moeilik om dit te sien gebeur aangesien mens nooit weet watse cheetah span actually gan opdaag nie.
Jacques - 2012-05-06 20:33
All things considered- the Cheetah's inconsistency, the Stormer's lack of flair... A solid, 2-try 4-pointer to the Stormers with a bonus point to the Cheetahs for losing by less than 7. Final score: 21-16 Stormers. Let's see.
peter.britz1 - 2012-05-06 21:33
Ha ha, see the Stormers are toy-toying again. Seems they want more money for tries not scored lol. Maybe the grootbek stormer fans should first make sure if the strike will be over by saturday, or the Cheetahs will just take the 4 points anyway, en daar gly die Stormers nog verder terug. Ai jai jaaai, nog 13 jaar!
RealTokolos - 2012-05-07 06:39
Begin van die einde. Dis alles oor halfpad deur die kompetisie... net soos elke jaar die afgelope 2 dekades. Relegate hulle. Maak die winkel toe en laat die Queens in hulle plek speel volgende jaar. Hulle sal wel verloor maar sal definitief nie strike nie. Tokolos dink hulle sal in elk geval meer drieë druk as die Strikers!
Stormsaam - 2012-05-07 04:42
Walk in the park for the Cheetahs. They playing the blind after all, a 17 yr cupless team
Johan - 2012-05-07 05:01
Hi Almal, Soos julle weet het ek die intellek van 'n brandsiek melkbok maar ons veg voort manne ons veg voort. Ons moenie dat Malema en die min reen en die nog heelwat minder Stormer/WP bekers ons keer nie. Ek will net graag vir die Bloubulle, SA se vlagskip span baie geluk se met hulle top of the Conference posisie, julle maak ons trots. Maar ek moet nou gaan poefies en piepie en dit dan op Facebook post, so ek gaan julle outjies nou verlaat.
Pomene - 2012-05-07 05:01
Nothing wrong with ambition Adrian ...............nothing wrong !!!
Schalk - 2012-05-07 08:00
Hulle wen een wedstryd en nou is hulle bekke groot, tipies!
Pieter - 2012-05-07 09:35
Sonder Johan Goosen betek die Cheetahs boggerol! Stormers gaan die een op 'n drafstap wen.
Raymond - 2012-05-07 13:28
If AD Strauss is not in the Springbok 23 to face England,then there is no justice in our sport.He MUST be a certainty.From a Stormer.
paul.sdoow - 2012-05-08 06:08
unfortunately certain hookers get over looked , same as deon fourie. he east mobile plays the full80 makes good available ball and is an extra loose forward as a hooker should be but alas we get chillboy. that guy only good for 20minutes then he looking for the water and trying hurry to look busy and he will had a few penalty for the opposition. but he will get picked and even rumoured to be captain. why i ask you why? and don't say its because he a bull.
Raymond - 2012-05-07 13:29
If AD Strauss is not in the Springbok 22 to face England,then there is no justice in our sport.He MUST be a certainty.From a Stormer.