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Bloemfontein - The 12 tries they conceded are the least of any Cheetahs team on a tour of Australasia.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské therefore questions former Springbok prop Ollie le Roux’s view that poor defence is the team’s main problem in this year’s Super Rugby tournament.
Le Roux told Sport24 on Sunday that the Cheetahs’ defensive system had not changed since Drotské was appointed coach in 2007. He added that the players were giving 100% and that the blame should lie with the coaching staff.
"We as the coaching staff have already done a thorough analysis of the tour. We conceded 12 tries, which is the least of any touring Cheetahs side in history," said Drotské.
He added that five of the 12 tries were due to players that could not make their first-time tackles. The players moved outside the system for three of the tries and the other four were due to turnover possession.
"In the case of turnover possession, the system falls away and we have what is called scramble defence. I’m not sure whether Ollie did the same analysis or whether his remarks are personal."
The Cheetahs achieved their first overseas victory against the Waratahs and earned two bonus points by losing by seven points or less against the Blues and Highlanders.
"I suggest that he (Le Roux) focuses on the Police Club where he coaches and leaves the Cheetahs’ defence to Michael Horak, a former England fullback who I believe is doing very good work," said Drotské.
Drotské pulled in Horak as defence coach at the beginning of the season and is satisfied with the progress his team is making under him.
"Michael learned a lot about defence from Brendan Venter and we made a number of changes to our system at the beginning of the season. We played six of our first eight games this year away from home and had a lot of injuries. Even so, the 2.50 tries that we have conceded per game is a lot less than the 3.30 per game of the Cheetahs team in 2006 when Ollie played under Rassie Erasmus’s defensive system.
"I rate Rassie highly as a defensive expert and I think it’s a feather in Michael’s cap - especially as six of our last eight games are in Bloemfontein and he could bring the average down even further," said Drotské.
Bloemfontein - The 12 tries they conceded are the least of any Cheetahs team on a tour of Australasia.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské therefore questions former Springbok prop Ollie le Roux’s view that poor defence is the team’s main problem in this year’s Super Rugby tournament.
Le Roux told Sport24 on Sunday that the Cheetahs’ defensive system had not changed since Drotské was appointed coach in 2007. He added that the players were giving 100% and that the blame should lie with the coaching staff.
"We as the coaching staff have already done a thorough analysis of the tour. We conceded 12 tries, which is the least of any touring Cheetahs side in history," said Drotské.
He added that five of the 12 tries were due to players that could not make their first-time tackles. The players moved outside the system for three of the tries and the other four were due to turnover possession.
"In the case of turnover possession, the system falls away and we have what is called scramble defence. I’m not sure whether Ollie did the same analysis or whether his remarks are personal."
The Cheetahs achieved their first overseas victory against the Waratahs and earned two bonus points by losing by seven points or less against the Blues and Highlanders.
"I suggest that he (Le Roux) focuses on the Police Club where he coaches and leaves the Cheetahs’ defence to Michael Horak, a former England fullback who I believe is doing very good work," said Drotské.
Drotské pulled in Horak as defence coach at the beginning of the season and is satisfied with the progress his team is making under him.
"Michael learned a lot about defence from Brendan Venter and we made a number of changes to our system at the beginning of the season. We played six of our first eight games this year away from home and had a lot of injuries. Even so, the 2.50 tries that we have conceded per game is a lot less than the 3.30 per game of the Cheetahs team in 2006 when Ollie played under Rassie Erasmus’s defensive system.
"I rate Rassie highly as a defensive expert and I think it’s a feather in Michael’s cap - especially as six of our last eight games are in Bloemfontein and he could bring the average down even further," said Drotské.
