It seems like Coach Frans Steyn was just about ready to blow a gasket after the Cheetahs flubbed what could have been a monumental win in Amsterdam against Stade Français. Picture it: the Free Staters were in the lead with a 17-14 score at halftime during their latest EPCR Challenge Cup match. However, hopes of glory were dashed as the French team came back with a vengeance, ultimately thrashing the Cheetahs with a 45-22 win at the NRCA Stadium.
“We had the chance to slaughter a giant today, and we didn’t. That is the most disappointing thing for me,” lamented Steyn. The match swung dramatically right after halftime with Stade Français piling on two rapid tries, effectively stealing the momentum. The Cheetahs, caught off-balance, couldn’t claw their way back, bogged down by errors and rising pressure.
"If we had a few more moments like Jandré Nel’s try, it would have been fun, but at the moment it is not fun,”
The team's prospects for advancing are looking grim, with this defeat marking their second loss in pool play. With only matches against Ulster and Racing 92 remaining, the playoff dreams hang by a thread. But don’t expect Steyn to just shrug this off. “I don’t think we are going to hit the reset button. I think we are going to think about this one for a while,” he declared, hinting at a serious introspection period for the squad.
Steyn also dismissed the idea that the absence of Victor Sekekete, their injured captain, was to blame, emphasizing the need for everyone to step up. “We continuously put ourselves under pressure. We have to handle those things better and be better,” he stressed.
“We definitely missed Victor, but we are all paid to do a job. When one goes down, the other one needs to step up.”
The frustration was palpable in Steyn’s voice, promising a thorough review of the game tape to pinpoint and correct errors. With the Cheetahs showing flashes of brilliance, it’s clear they have the potential. Now it’s just a matter of converting that into consistent, winning performances. Stay tuned, as the next games are bound to be do-or-die for this squad.
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It seems like Coach Frans Steyn was just about ready to blow a gasket after the Cheetahs flubbed what could have been a monumental win in Amsterdam against Stade Français. Picture it: the Free Staters were in the lead with a 17-14 score at halftime during their latest EPCR Challenge Cup match. However, hopes of glory were dashed as the French team came back with a vengeance, ultimately thrashing the Cheetahs with a 45-22 win at the NRCA Stadium.
“We had the chance to slaughter a giant today, and we didn’t. That is the most disappointing thing for me,” lamented Steyn. The match swung dramatically right after halftime with Stade Français piling on two rapid tries, effectively stealing the momentum. The Cheetahs, caught off-balance, couldn’t claw their way back, bogged down by errors and rising pressure.
"If we had a few more moments like Jandré Nel’s try, it would have been fun, but at the moment it is not fun,”
The team's prospects for advancing are looking grim, with this defeat marking their second loss in pool play. With only matches against Ulster and Racing 92 remaining, the playoff dreams hang by a thread. But don’t expect Steyn to just shrug this off. “I don’t think we are going to hit the reset button. I think we are going to think about this one for a while,” he declared, hinting at a serious introspection period for the squad.
Steyn also dismissed the idea that the absence of Victor Sekekete, their injured captain, was to blame, emphasizing the need for everyone to step up. “We continuously put ourselves under pressure. We have to handle those things better and be better,” he stressed.
“We definitely missed Victor, but we are all paid to do a job. When one goes down, the other one needs to step up.”
The frustration was palpable in Steyn’s voice, promising a thorough review of the game tape to pinpoint and correct errors. With the Cheetahs showing flashes of brilliance, it’s clear they have the potential. Now it’s just a matter of converting that into consistent, winning performances. Stay tuned, as the next games are bound to be do-or-die for this squad.