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Bloemfontein - For most Cheetahs players Loftus Versfeld is not a field they like to play at, but Sias Ebersohn will return with good memories for Saturday's Currie Cup match in Pretoria.
The flyhalf's winning kick a year ago in the dying stages of the game against the Blue Bulls was a big turning point in Ebersohn's career.
On Thursday he and twin brother Robert also signed new contracts for two more years at the Cheetahs.
Sias said that it was an easy decision for the twins to extend their contracts and he's looking forward to having more responsibility in Saturday's match against the Bulls.
He believes that few Bulls knew about him before the winning kick in 2010, which gave Free State a 25-23 victory. Sias had replaced Louis Strydom with five minutes left when the visitors were trailing 18-23.
Substitute Skipper Badenhorst dived over in the corner in injury time to level the scores (23-23) and the Cheetahs would probably have been satisfied with a draw.
But Sias slotted the difficult conversion to give his team the win and demonstrated that he was ready for bigger things.
"When I came on last year the Bulls probably did not know me and probably wondered who I was. But then I succeeded with that kick.
"This time I don't have to wait to get game time off the bench. There is definitely more responsibility on my shoulders, but I'm looking forward to the game and would like to help my team get the win," he said.
Sias (22) said that he and Robert always wanted to stay in Bloemfontein.
"Even before any union made an offer, we told Free State that we would like to stay and what our needs are. They were willing from the outset to make it happen," said Sias.
"The way in which the Cheetahs treated us the past six months makes us happy."
Sias added that the game time he and Robert got in the 2011 Super Rugby tournament made the decision easier.
The former Baby Bok now also wants to play a starring role in the Currie Cup.
"If you played Super Rugby this year and are now in action in the Currie Cup, you aren't good enough to play for the Springboks. The challenge is to stand up in the Currie Cup and to show that they made a mistake by not picking you for the Tri-Nations.
"Either that, or you could remain on the level of the other Currie Cup players. You must rise to the challenge."
Teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Dustin Jinka, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Fudge Mabeta, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Gary Botha (captain), 1 Corné Fourie
Substitutes: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Okkie Kruger, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Andries Strauss (captain), 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Lappies Labuschagné, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Philip Snyman, 22 Philip Burger
Bloemfontein - For most Cheetahs players Loftus Versfeld is not a field they like to play at, but Sias Ebersohn will return with good memories for Saturday's Currie Cup match in Pretoria.
The flyhalf's winning kick a year ago in the dying stages of the game against the Blue Bulls was a big turning point in Ebersohn's career.
On Thursday he and twin brother Robert also signed new contracts for two more years at the Cheetahs.
Sias said that it was an easy decision for the twins to extend their contracts and he's looking forward to having more responsibility in Saturday's match against the Bulls.
He believes that few Bulls knew about him before the winning kick in 2010, which gave Free State a 25-23 victory. Sias had replaced Louis Strydom with five minutes left when the visitors were trailing 18-23.
Substitute Skipper Badenhorst dived over in the corner in injury time to level the scores (23-23) and the Cheetahs would probably have been satisfied with a draw.
But Sias slotted the difficult conversion to give his team the win and demonstrated that he was ready for bigger things.
"When I came on last year the Bulls probably did not know me and probably wondered who I was. But then I succeeded with that kick.
"This time I don't have to wait to get game time off the bench. There is definitely more responsibility on my shoulders, but I'm looking forward to the game and would like to help my team get the win," he said.
Sias (22) said that he and Robert always wanted to stay in Bloemfontein.
"Even before any union made an offer, we told Free State that we would like to stay and what our needs are. They were willing from the outset to make it happen," said Sias.
"The way in which the Cheetahs treated us the past six months makes us happy."
Sias added that the game time he and Robert got in the 2011 Super Rugby tournament made the decision easier.
The former Baby Bok now also wants to play a starring role in the Currie Cup.
"If you played Super Rugby this year and are now in action in the Currie Cup, you aren't good enough to play for the Springboks. The challenge is to stand up in the Currie Cup and to show that they made a mistake by not picking you for the Tri-Nations.
"Either that, or you could remain on the level of the other Currie Cup players. You must rise to the challenge."
Teams:
Blue Bulls: 15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Stephan Dippenaar, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Dustin Jinka, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Derick Kuün, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Fudge Mabeta, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Gary Botha (captain), 1 Corné Fourie
Substitutes: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Okkie Kruger, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Francois Venter
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 Corné Uys, 12 Andries Strauss (captain), 11 Rayno Benjamin, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Lappies Labuschagné, 6 Johan Wessels, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 WP Nel, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Marcel van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Izak van der Westhuizen, 19 Pieter Myburgh, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Philip Snyman, 22 Philip Burger
