Naka Drotske after the game on Saturday said something very true - the Cheetahs needs to have a bigger contract squad then they have at present.
The Cheetahs made remarkable progress this year in Super 15 ending up in the play-offs - which they lost by a whisker and could have won if the last conversion kick of their try was over. They also reached the semi-finals in the CC.
If one has to look at their schedule one has to realize what a massive work load that was expected from them. Since February 2013 - they had to play 32 games in a period of 38 weeks. They did not have may injuries to contend with - but almost all of their players in that period had to play at least 31 or 32 games - meaning they got only 6 off days in a period of 9 months. That means that they had two off days during Super 15 and 4 days since.
This is too heavy a schedule for players to remain competitive. There were signs that in the second half of games the Cheetahs did not perform up to their high standards they set during 2013 and the only reason is player fatigue.
It is clear that Naka is correct - the players should not play more than 28 matches and they need recovery time - otherwise the situation of this year would be repeated. A bigger contract squad is to my mind essential in their case.
