Get ready for a rugby rumble this weekend as South Africa’s Lions and Cheetahs dive into the deep end of the EPCR Challenge Cup. Fresh off a thrilling win at Loftus, the Lions are set to entertain Benetton at Ellis Park on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Cheetahs are off to a chilly start in England, facing the formidable Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Sunday.
The Lions are riding high with momentum after trouncing the Bulls, and now they look to carry that swagger into Europe. Over in the Free State, the Cheetahs have been getting down and dirty with some unconventional training methods. Captain Chucky van der Westhuizen shared some insider details, “
“We’ve been training with wet balls and trying to simulate the conditions we might face over there,”
he remarked, hinting at their gritty preparation for the cold English weather.
Van der Westhuizen is not just focusing on the weather though; he’s got his eyes on the tactical prize too. The Cheetahs are about to face a rapid shift in playing styles, clashing with Exeter’s speedy game before taking on the more brutish approach of Stade Français in Amsterdam. “
“It’s good for us to see where we can slot in and find the balance between those two styles,”
the captain mused about their upcoming challenges.
Despite the daunting schedule, the Cheetahs are shedding any underdog labels as they step onto European soil. Van der Westhuizen is adamant about maintaining their identity, emphasizing, “We have to believe in ourselves – we can’t go in with an underdog mindset. It’s all about playing our brand of rugby, no matter who the opposition is.”
On the flip side, Exeter’s lock Dafydd Jenkins is gearing up for a bruising encounter. “We’re really looking forward to the Challenge Cup and getting to kick off our campaign at home is really important to us,” Jenkins said, acknowledging the advantage of starting at Sandy Park. He added, “We know it’s going to be an incredibly tough competition, but we want to carry over our Premiership form and push as far as we can.”
The stage is set for an electrifying round of matches. Will the South African squads triumph in the European chill, or will the home teams hold fort? Only the weekend will tell, but one thing is for sure — it’s going to be a thrilling spectacle.
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Get ready for a rugby rumble this weekend as South Africa’s Lions and Cheetahs dive into the deep end of the EPCR Challenge Cup. Fresh off a thrilling win at Loftus, the Lions are set to entertain Benetton at Ellis Park on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Cheetahs are off to a chilly start in England, facing the formidable Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Sunday.
The Lions are riding high with momentum after trouncing the Bulls, and now they look to carry that swagger into Europe. Over in the Free State, the Cheetahs have been getting down and dirty with some unconventional training methods. Captain Chucky van der Westhuizen shared some insider details, “
“We’ve been training with wet balls and trying to simulate the conditions we might face over there,”
he remarked, hinting at their gritty preparation for the cold English weather.Van der Westhuizen is not just focusing on the weather though; he’s got his eyes on the tactical prize too. The Cheetahs are about to face a rapid shift in playing styles, clashing with Exeter’s speedy game before taking on the more brutish approach of Stade Français in Amsterdam. “
“It’s good for us to see where we can slot in and find the balance between those two styles,”
the captain mused about their upcoming challenges.Despite the daunting schedule, the Cheetahs are shedding any underdog labels as they step onto European soil. Van der Westhuizen is adamant about maintaining their identity, emphasizing, “We have to believe in ourselves – we can’t go in with an underdog mindset. It’s all about playing our brand of rugby, no matter who the opposition is.”
On the flip side, Exeter’s lock Dafydd Jenkins is gearing up for a bruising encounter. “We’re really looking forward to the Challenge Cup and getting to kick off our campaign at home is really important to us,” Jenkins said, acknowledging the advantage of starting at Sandy Park. He added, “We know it’s going to be an incredibly tough competition, but we want to carry over our Premiership form and push as far as we can.”
The stage is set for an electrifying round of matches. Will the South African squads triumph in the European chill, or will the home teams hold fort? Only the weekend will tell, but one thing is for sure — it’s going to be a thrilling spectacle.