Johannesburg - Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské believes his team’s luck must change, and this weekend’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Crusaders may be the time to do that.
According to the supersport.com website, after a horrible start to the season, a tour where they couldn’t buy any luck or a victory and blew a 24-point lead against the Chiefs last weekend in Bloemfontein, Drotské hasn’t gotten disheartened yet and believes his team need to ensure they can play a better brand of rugby and get Lady Luck on their side again.
Historically they have a good record against the men from Christchurch, having beaten them in their last two encounters in Bloemfontein and Drotské wants his team to make it three in a row this weekend when the two sides meet.
“We played better in the last three games and improved with every game,” Drotské said.
“Somewhere our luck must change, and things must turn. Somewhere we will be on the right side of 50-50 calls. It was disappointing to be 24 points up against the Chiefs and then to draw, but the game could have gone either way.”
While many were disappointed with the second half implosion that allowed the Chiefs to sneak back and secure the draw, the Cheetahs coach sees only positives after the game and has called on his side to make sure that when they have control of a game, they put the opposition away.
“We also took three log points from the game, where a win would have given us four. So there are positives to take out of the game,” Drotské explained.
“Our tour is behind us, and I told the team they must remember other teams still have to go and tour. At this stage only one team out of 17 has toured and won. It remains a tough task to win away from home and I’m confident we can win all our games from here on.
“We need to focus and concentrate for 80 minutes. We were brilliant for the first half and to score four tries against them in the first half was great. But we need to take control of a game and not to panic.
“We have a good record against the Crusaders in Bloemfontein and we’ve beaten them here before in their last two visits. But it won’t be easy, they’re a quality side which has won this competition six or seven times.
“We need to focus, be positive and be at our best next week. Our forwards were good and we dominated them like we wanted to in the set phases and that is a big positive going forward.”
With Heinrich Brussow expected back this week, the Cheetahs will be a stronger side, but they know the Crusaders are never a side they will have an easy time with.
A little luck and a lot of commitment for 80 minutes is needed this week.