COACH Hawies Fourie and his table-topping Cheetahs will look to book a home final in this year’s Currie Cup, by beating the Pumas in their Bloemfontein semi-final on Saturday at 1.30pm.
However, the Cheetahs team will go into the semi-final with the knowledge that one of their two defeats this season were against the self-same team from Mpumalanga, less than two weeks ago, when the Pumas won by 29-28 in Bloemfontein.
And with big gun Frans Steyn out injured with a hamstring ailment, they will have to be at their best to reverse that result.
— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) June 16, 2022
The Cheetahs return to form against the Bulls, after hitting a rocky patch in the competition, would have put a smile on Hawies Fourie’s face for the first time in weeks.
But the Cheetahs coach knows that facing Jimmy Stonehouse’s Pumas two weeks after they shocked his team at the same venue means there will be more than enough motivation for the Nelspruit side to repeat the feat again.
Without stalwart Frans Steyn, the Cheetahs appear to be a bit vulnerable, especially with a side that can match them up front and the Pumas coach will be relishing the opportunity to have a go at the Cheetahs and pull off what could turn out to be the biggest shock in the competition.
Currie Cup semi-final
Cheetahs vs Pumas
Saturday, 1.30pm
