Veteran playmaker Ruan Pienaar is ready to play a pivotal role for the Free State Cheetahs in a blockbuster Currie Cup final in Bloemfontein.
The Free Staters have an opportunity to win their first title since 2019 and seventh Currie Cup overall, when they clash with the defending champions, the Pumas, on Saturday.
Pienaar, who has 88 Test caps for the Springboks, scored 22 points to help guide Hawies Fourie’s troops past the Vodacom Bulls in the semi-finals last week.
Whether playing at scrumhalf or flyhalf, he has been a calming presence in the Cheetahs backline, and it was confirmed this week that the 39-year-old has signed a new contract with the Bloem outfit to extend his playing career for one more year.
Quoted by Netwerk24 in the buildup to this weekend’s decider at the Free State Stadium, the wily campaigner said: “You still play because you are competitive and enjoy it. Those are the two things that drive me.
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“At my age, enjoyment plays a very big role for me. I definitely still have the passion and the drive to win cups and games. I still enjoy it a lot.
“The team that seizes its chances best, is accurate and has good discipline will always stand a good chance. As with any final, anything can happen. It’s definitely going to be a tough one. We have one more big one to go and hopefully we can do well on Saturday.”
On his half-back partnership with the promising Rewan Kruger, Pienaar explained: “My role is to keep him calm and to talk to him a lot so that he has peace of mind. At least it’s not too difficult. He is a good player and he knows what to do in our game plan.”
Kruger added: “I don’t think there is any player in the world at the moment who is in my position and can learn as much from someone like Ruan. I am in a very good place and very fortunate.
“Ruan makes it easy on the field. I have been learning from him for two years. We got to know each other well and already know how each one plays.”
“It is every rugby player’s dream in South Africa to be able to play in the Currie Cup final one day. I’m really looking forward to the weekend. It’s going to be really fun.”
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images