Share

Cheetahs confident of playoffs

Johannesburg - Captain Adriaan Strauss believes his Cheetahs team will bounce back after their worst performance of the season thus far, as they target the Vodacom Super Rugby playoffs.

The Cheetahs were crushed 28-3 by the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday night, settling in sixth place in the overall standings with two rounds of fixtures remaining before the knockout phase.

The Bloemfontein side face the Blues in the next round and have the comfort of a bye the following week.

"We're very disappointed. It was definitely the shocker of the year for us," Strauss said.

"There's a lot to work on this week.

"We've got one game left, and we'll have a look at the game and see where we went wrong."

He believed they were still in the race for a spot in the playoffs, despite the defeat at the weekend.

"We're still in the running and we'll have a hard look at ourselves, but we'll bounce back, definitely," Strauss said.

"I've still got confidence in the guys and we're looking forward to a good game next weekend."

The Stormers, meanwhile, were in 10th place in the table, with first-round fixtures remaining against the Southern Kings and the Bulls.

Captain Deon Fourie, standing in for injured regular skipper Jean de Villiers, was delighted with the consolation victory.

"We miss him (De Villiers). He's a great leader and a great player, but I think the guys stood up today," Fourie said.

With two games remaining against local teams, Fourie said the Western Cape outfit were hoping to end the campaign on a high note.

"We have two derby matches left and I think we want two wins out of it. We have some pride to play for."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1135 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1311 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2008 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE