Coach Frans Steyn recently made remarks suggesting that even the exceptional Faf de Klerk has room for improvement, as the Cheetahs strive to enhance their performance in the Currie Cup. Despite scoring a last-minute try that clinched a 31-26 win against the Stormers XXIII at Athlone Stadium on Sunday, de Klerk's game was not without faults, according to Steyn.
Steyn expressed his admiration for de Klerk's dedication since joining the team in Bloemfontein.
"The feelings he has for the Cheetahs, there’s nothing he won’t do for this place. He’s all in and wants to see this place get better every day."
However, Steyn also pointed out areas for de Klerk to work on.
"He didn’t do everything right on the weekend and he’ll hear that in the team meeting. But he’s a good team man. He listens to everybody and has stuff to say when he thinks we can do something better. We have missed somebody like that."
The recent victory pushed the Cheetahs to second in the Currie Cup standings, tied with Griquas based on points. Steyn shared his mixed feelings about the team's current standing. "If you told me before the season started that after four rounds, we’d be tied at the top, we would have taken it," he mentioned.
Despite their success, Steyn believes the team has not reached its potential. "We need to play much better if we want to win this competition. We want to play old winning Free State rugby and we’re not there yet. Our kicking game wasn’t good on the weekend. Our lineout struggled. Defensively, we soaked tackles in the first half. There’s still a lot of work for us to do."
Cheetahs' captain Neels Volschenk echoed Steyn's critical assessment. Gaining an extra three points from this game was crucial, but Volschenk stressed the need for continued improvement. "Those three extra points we have now on the log are going to be crucial as we progress to the end of this competition," he stated.
"But no one – not me, not the coaches, not any player – is naive about how much work still needs to be put in. Against the Stormers we were not better than we were against Griquas."
Looking ahead, the Cheetahs must prepare for a challenging match against the winless Bulls XV at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday. Volschenk warned of the dangers of underestimating any opponent, stressing that complacency can lead to unexpected challenges. "They have talented rugby players and like we’ve seen against the Lions and the Sharks, if you think you’re just going to pitch up and win, it’s not going to be easy," he explained. "You have to work hard, be on it and be clinical."
