Hawies Fourie says newly-crowed Currie Cup champions the Cheetahs are hopeful of receiving another invitation to play in the Challenge Cup next season.

The Cheetahs claimed their seventh Currie Cup title when they held on to beat the Pumas in a pulsating final in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

It was been a tough run for the Free State side, who have had to make way in both Super Rugby and the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, for the other ‘big four’ South African franchises.

The Cheetahs returned to Europe as an invited team during last season’s Challenge Cup and even though they had to base themselves in Parma, they made a good fist of it before falling out in the round of 16 to eventual champions Toulon.

With two yet-to-be-announced teams involved in the 2023-24 edition of the Challenge Cup, Fourie said that he is hopeful that the Cheetahs get the nod.

“I hope we are there again,” said Fourie.

“We enjoyed playing in the European Challenge Cup and it meant a lot to the team, to the coaches. We picked up a lot of experience in those conditions

“Our conditioning improved as we focused on the Challenge Cup and our guys became stronger to be able to compete there. I think we stood our ground, qualifying for the round of 16. So hopefully they want us to play in that competition again this coming season.”

With the Challenge Cup only getting underway in December, there will be a long break before the Cheetahs are back in action.

Fourie confirmed that his side will start preparing for the new season as early as the end of July.