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- Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie said they were blessed to have a halfback of Ruan Pienaar's quality in their set-up.
- Pienaar scored 10 points and controlled the Currie Cup final the Cheetahs won against the Pumas superbly on Saturday.
- In Rewan Kruger, who also played well on Saturday, the Cheetahs are grooming a replacement while Pienaar will stay with the team for one more year.
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie extolled the virtues of having a senior professional like Ruan Pienaar ready and available for service, saying the 39-year-old halfback is the hardest worker in their team.
Pienaar scored 10 points in the Cheetahs' 25-17 Currie Cup final win against the Pumas at the Free State Stadium on Saturday.
Pienaar, who was born in Mangaung and made his name as a seriously skilled halfback at Grey College and through Free State's junior structures, made his name at the Sharks and was part of the 2007 Rugby World Cup winning group before moving to Ulster in 2010.
He came back to Bloemfontein in 2019 after a short stint at Montpellier and has become an important playing cog for the Cheetahs.
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Pienaar's stay at the Cheetahs has been extended by a further year and based on his calm and collected performance in the final, it was easy to see why.
Fourie said they were fortunate to have a player of Pienaar's quality and ability in their squad.
"When we played Pro14 rugby, some of the overseas media asked about his BMT and his involvement in the game and that was three years ago," Fourie said.
"He's still going and probably is the hardest worker in our team at that age, which is why he can still play high-quality rugby.
"He's an unbelievable person, rugby player, and father for his kids as well. It's a privilege to have the experience and quality of Ruan in our squad."
A beneficiary of Ruan's experience is fellow halfback Rewan Kruger, who didn't quite kick on after his stints with the South African Under-20 squad in 2017 and 2018.
Kruger, who also played for Grey College as a scrumhalf, has been backed by Fourie to a point where he found his groove again.
READ | Pumas mentor Stonehouse proud after Currie Cup heartache: 'A second final was amazing for us'
He had a more than decent outing on Saturday as the Cheetahs have also started to prepare for life without Pienaar.
Kruger would have been three and four years old respectively when Pienaar was at his peak for Grey and the Free State Craven week teams.
Fourie said Kruger has bounced back very well and has ticked his playing boxes superbly.
"He's quick to the breakdown and his passing was good while his kicking game is picking up," Fourie said.
READ | Cheetahs coach Fourie realises life-long Currie Cup dream: 'This is special'
"He's got a lot of confidence playing with Ruan and he's a hard worker. He's here every afternoon and stays after every session where he practices his box kicks and passes.
"He's a guy that serves the team and if anyone wants to do something, Rewan will be the guy that either passes or kicks to them.
"He's a true Cheetah man that I've watched since his school days, and I thought his career was going downwards.
"Since we pulled him into the Toyota Challenge two years ago, he's never looked back."
