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Cape Town - The Free State Cheetahs have announced new appointments and also structural changes going into the PRO14 and the overlap with the Currie Cup.
Dave Williams has been appointed as the new backline and attack coach in view of the PRO14 tournament as well as the Currie Cup moving forward. Williams is a very experienced coach and previously was the assistant-coach for the Koble Steelers in Japan. He also coached London Irish and Bath in England.
For the overlap with the Currie Cup, the coaching staff of the Cheetahs is:
Head-coach: Rory Duncan
Forwards coach: Corniel van Zyl
Backline coach: Dave Williams
Defence coach: Charl Strydom
Team Manager: Sakkie Wessels
Medical Doctor: Dr Rudi de Wet
Physiotherapist: JP du Toit
Fitness co-ordinator/Biokineticist: Quintin Kruger
Where the PRO14 tournament overlaps with the Currie Cup, structures will be as follows:
Currie Cup coach: Daan Human
Backline coach: MJ Smith
Albert Keuris: Skills coach
Physiotherapist: Erick Colyn
A medical doctor will be appointed to assist
Ashwell Rafferty will be the Currie Cup Team Manager for the season and will join the PRO14 moving forward. Director of Rugby, Franco Smith, will also assist both teams with skills, structures and strategy along with his other responsibilities.
The management of Free State Rugby is positive that both teams will avail the necessary expertise, commitment and experience in approaching both competitions - the Currie Cup and PRO14 at a high level.
It is necessary to point out that the overlapping of the Currie Cup and PRO14 is an extraordinary coincidence, implemented at short notice. It is foreseeable that in the future there will not be overlapping.
The Cheetahs' first PRO14 fixture takes place on Friday, September 1, 2017 against Ulster followed a week later by a fixture against Munster in Ireland.
On the same dates, the Cheetahs will play in the Currie Cup against the Sharks (Durban) and Western Province (Cape Town).
