Cape Town - The Cheetahs have not wasted any time in making their intentions clear ahead of the first-ever PRO14.
The news came on Tuesday when it was confirmed that both the Cheetahs and the Kings would join the competition, now formerly known as the PRO12, from the 2017/18 season.
The tournament gets underway in September, which means that there isn't much time for the South African sides to get their ducks in a row.
Still, Cheetahs CEO Harold Verster says that they are eyeing the top.
"There will be a steep learning curve for our coaches and players, but we’re in it to win it," he said in a statement.
"This is a whole new ball game for rugby in South Africa and we’re proud to be trail-blazers.
"There is a lot
of excitement around the union about the opportunity and we’re already looking
forward to kick off.
"We’re excited about taking the Cheetahs’ famous brand of all-out attacking rugby to Europe and bringing top European clubs to South Africa.
"The Free State is one of the great nurseries of rugby in South Africa and this is an exciting prospect for our young players – to test themselves against top players from the northern hemisphere."