Cheetahs looked their best; Rugby 365

Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské lauded his players for what he described as their best performance in Super Rugby this year. The Bloemfontein side beat the Stormers 35-22 and lifted themselves off the bottom of the overall points log, switching places with the Stormers. Drotské praised his side for a better second-half performance and said there was still much to play for in the competition. “I am really proud of the players. To score five tries against the Stormers – a side that has a very good defensive system – is a really good achievement,” Drotske said. “At half time, we were in front and we kept that lead. In a few other games this year, we were in the lead at the break but let it slip in the second half. "The first ten minutes in the second half we were too much in a defensive mode, but after that we came back and scored to great tries to close the game.” He said he felt his team were good in both defence and attack. “That isn't something that has happened a lot of times this season. We came up short in both departments in earlier games. “There are definitely positives going forward. There are still six games left so it is very important for us to end the competition on a high.” Second half substitute prop Trevor Nyakane made a huge impact and the fresh players upped the ante and also sparked some of the more experienced Cheetahs players into better performances. “I thought everybody that came onto the field later on contributed to lifting the intensity. “The Stormers came out all guns blazing in the second half and they had us on the back foot for a while, but when we introduced substitutions it all came together again. "I also think a lot of our back line players got some much needed confidence back. “Form is temporary, but class is permanent and I think it showed with someone like Willie le Roux.  "It was the old Willie again after he had a bit of a slump the last couple of weeks. He attacked the line again and was brilliant. It is great to have him back again.” One of the biggest setbacks for the Cheetahs over the last couple of weeks was their inability to close out games in the second half after often enjoying early leads. “The message at half-time was the same as it has always been. We played well in the first half in a game that we finally got to build some phases. “We got quick ball on the front foot, something that Sarel Pretorius helped with a lot. "The message was that we needed to keep on doing what we had done in the first 40 minutes and refrain from playing in our own half.  "The players showed much character in sticking in there for the victory,” Drotské said. Stormers coach Allister Coetzee had little to say afterwards on his team's performance. “It was just very disappointing,” Coetzee said. SAPA

 Good to see the Cheetahs get some reward for daring to be different!  Some fantastic plays, e.g. watching Ryno Benjamin streak through players to score with power and speed or when Wee Willie managed to recover his chip and catches. Hope they get some more wins, especially against SA and Oz teams

 Benjamin is the surprise of the 2014 season by far. He used to be a crappy wing, but fate promoted him to centre and he grabbed the opportunity and has passed the test by far.

 Blikkies
The Stormers can be bey glad - what would have happened to them if Coenie. Labuschagne. Lood, Van der Walt and Goosen was available?
Coenie may be back soon -nobody really knows whether Coenie will return at all.   Labuschagne and Goosen will definitely be available for their next match.  Lood and Van der Walt is out for longer periods.  
However, it seems as if the Cheetahs at last got their mojo back.
  

 Ou maaaikei please get a grip on reality. You mention missing players but really the side most plagued by injuries is the Stormers!We need Liebenberg, Etzebeth, Steenkamp, Elstadt and Burger back.pack should be Kitshoff, Liebenberg, Malherbe, Etzebeth,Steenkamp, Fourie, Vermuelen and Burger.There isnt a better pack in the comp. In the backline I would consider starting Coleman who looked more enterprising than Grant. Given the go forward ball this pack would win I cant but think a top six position would ahve been a mere formality.The Cheetas defence has ticked up. This has coincided with Daniller moving to full back.Benjamin is proving very good at 13. Return of Brussouw is helping.
A strong finish by the Cheetahs is possible if they continue in this vein.
So ou maaaikie no more nonsense about the Mighty Stormers please. Cheetahs beat a seond team. We have 11 players out in total so wise up.
Injuries and the exodus of good players overseas is costing SA sides big time.Certainly Sharks Stormers, Bulle and cheetahs are all top ten sides. Lions - well I think they are not quite. I see Franco is off overseas next year as well. Sharks losing Deysel and Daniel. More to follow? Maybe not as bad as W orld Cup looming.

 Beeno
The Cheetahs have a smaller squad with  not so many key backup players.  Lets be quite frank at this stage =
*   Labuschagne and Van der Walt are better loosies than anybody the Stormers can offer; 
*   Goosen is a huge improvement on anything the Stormers have; and
*   De Jager is at this stage the best lock forward we have - next only to Etzebeth only   - with Willemse making a strong claim as well, .
So even if all players were available the Cheetahs would still have whipped  the Stormers.