Ex supersport
The Toyota Free State Cheetahs will not be giving up their Absa Currie Cup Premier Division status easily – the EP Kings will need to “come take it away by force” if they intend to play top-division rugby next year.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has said his side aims to record a big victory in Friday night’s first leg of the promotion/relegation match in Bloemfontein. (I am hoping for a 50 points win!)
“The players understand it is an absolute necessity that we win this game,” Drotske said, “The players are competitive enough to realise they want to play in the Currie Cup competition next year and we won’t give up – the Kings will have to come and take it from us.
"There is a definite resolve in the team and that is positive at the moment. I’ve seen it when we were training this week, there is a new intensity and if everyone plays to their potential we will be fine.”
Drotske is fighting several internal battles as well, as headlines earlier in the week that “heads will roll” if the Cheetahs are relegated have hardly secured his position as head coach of both the Cheetahs Currie Cup and Super Rugby franchises for next season.
There are those who believe the Premier Division side will romp home easily, but Drotske is cautious, saying the team needs to prove themselves on Friday night and make sure things don’t come down to the second leg in Port Elizabeth a week later.
“You need to go out there and use the opportunity well and post a good victory against them. If you don’t win convincingly, then things can easily go wrong in the next game. This is why I’m happy we’re playing in Bloemfontein first.
"It is important for us to create that intensity and pressure and use that to post a big victory.”
Much of the fighting talk from Drotske is to gear his players up for a formidable battle, and it is clear he isn’t taking the Kings lightly.
“We’ve been studying them for the last week and they will be a tough outfit to play – they were unbeaten in the B section but they were playing against B section teams.
"Not that I am saying that it makes it any easier, but they are the dominant team in that league,” Drotske added.
“It is important that we pitch up physically for the game, and we need to dominate them from the kickoff.
"We need to be very aware of our tackling and the breakdown. We need to remember we play in a different league to them and we need to take them out of their comfort zone.
“They will definitely be on a high after winning the title last week,” Drotske said, adding that the key was to keep the visitors from getting momentum behind them.
The promotion-relegation game kickoff is at 7pm CAT (SA, GMR+2) on Friday night
Go Cheetahs!!!!
