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Major coaching reshuffle for Cheetahs

Cape Town - Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith and Director of Rugby Rory Duncan will swap roles after the completion of the current Super Rugby season.

The move will be made official from July 17. 

Smith will be the new Director of Rugby, while Duncan has been named as the new head coach of the Cheetahs and Free State Cheetahs.  

A statement from the Cheetahs said the "move has been done in the best interests of Free State Rugby and in order to allow Franco to continue to maintain his involvement with the Springboks."

Smith will lead the Rugby Department of Free State Rugby and specifically focus on coaching and the development of junior coaches and players.  

"The collaboration between the two is impressive and very positive," said Harold Verster, Managing Director of the Free State Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd.

The Cheetahs will not feature in Super Rugby 2018 after having been axed as part of SANZAAR's restructuring of the competition, but they are expected to join Europe's Pro12 along with the Southern Kings, who have also been dropped from Super Rugby.

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