Coach Hawies Fourie says the 2022 Currie Cup semi-final loss to the Pumas sparked a turnaround that has sprinted the Cheetahs into a rematch in this year’s final in Bloemfontein.
Last season, the Pumas snatched a thrilling 38-35 victory over the Cheetahs in the semi-final in Bloemfontein, after a last-gasp converted try from centre Ali Mgijima.
Jimmy Stonehouse’s side then travelled to Kimberley and beat Griquas at a sold-out Griqua Park to snatch their first Currie Cup title.
MORE: Pienaar gives Cheetahs another year
Speaking in the build-up to the final, Fourie explained how losing in last year’s semi-final set the Cheetahs on a path that has carried them to hosting this year’s final.
“It was tough on all of us, especially me, that we lost,” said Fourie. “It wasn’t easy to get over, but at some time you have to let go and make peace with it, and start working towards the next campaign.
“We learned lessons and know what didn’t work for us. We started with the new process last July, so it is 11 months on.
“One of the big things was our conditioning. I think we are really well-conditioned. The guys are stronger and fitter than last year so that will help us a lot. We faded towards the end of the second half in this year’s semi-final, but I think we have played 15 games and only lost the second half once. That was against the Sharks in the rain in Durban.
“We have a lot of confidence in what we do and how we do it. It’s been a long process to become a better team than we were a year ago. It wasn’t fixed in a week.”
The Cheetahs have an opportunity to win their first title since 2019 and their seventh Currie Cup overall.
The hosts are coming into the final on the back of a four-win streak, which has boosted their confidence.
“I feel it’s a lot better than last year,” said Fourie. “We struggled towards the back end of the competition last year, we had a heavy loss against Griquas and lost by a point against Pumas. It was close to the semi-finals and the confidence was a bit low.
“This year, it’s almost the opposite. We went through a bad patch and then got a draw with Griquas and three wins in a row. It helps a lot with the confidence and the vibe in the camp. There is healthy competition in the squad and the non-playing squad is also training very well.
“It makes a big difference. Sometimes guys tend not to focus in sessions and make a lot of mistakes, then the quality of those training sessions drops, but this year, it’s high-quality sessions that will help us towards the final.”
MORE: Stonehouse to surprise Cheetahs
While confidence in the Bloemfontein camp is high, Fourie is still wary of the threat posed by the Pumas, who upset the Sharks in last week’s semi-final in Durban.
“They have a very good offload game, they counter-attack really well, and have a good kicking game with [flyhalf] Tinus (de Beer) and [fullback] Devon (Williams) who are left- and right-footed kickers. It makes it difficult.
“They also have a strong pack of forwards, so they can bring different things to a match, and I expect them to be as physical as we know they can be.
“There is a lot to play for for us, there will be a lot of pressure on both teams. They are the defending champions, and the pressure will be to retain the cup.
“We will definitely give 100% to try and win it. We let ourselves down last year.”
Photo: Twitter/@CheetahsRugby