Forging ahead in the EPCR Challenge Cup, the Toyota Cheetahs believe their future lies in a return to Super Rugby, and not in the current European rugby system.
As far fetched as it may seem, especially as SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer recently dismissed the idea on the To the Last Drop podcast, saying that there were no current plans to take the Cheetahs back to the Southern Hemisphere competition, Cheetahs Director of Rugby Frans Steyn is adamant that it needs to happen.
🐆 Toyota Cheetahs Travelling Squad Announced! 🏉
— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) December 2, 2024
Ready for the EPCR Challenge Cup?
📍 Match 1: vs USAP
🗓️ 8 Dec | ⏰ 15:00 SA Time | Amsterdam
📍 Match 2: vs Cardiff Rugby
🗓️ 14 Dec | ⏰ 22:00 SA Time | Cardiff@ToyotaSA @ChallengeCup_ @RugbyNederland pic.twitter.com/DyZ21egcl6
Steyn believes that the Cheetahs' run in the EPCR Challenge Cup is not sustainable, not from a rugby viewpoint, nor financially and certainly is a situation which is uncomfortable for the French clubs, therefore he wants the team to return to Super Rugby.
Oberholzer said in the podcast that the only way that would work is if the Cheetahs are based in Australia, which isn’t a financially viable option at the moment.
🎟️ Get your tickets for the EPCR Challenge Cup: https://t.co/l02FqxSB5g
— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) November 28, 2024
Ali Mgijima invites all Toyota Cheetah supporters to Amsterdam for an epic showdown!
🏟️Toyota Cheetahs 🆚 USAP
📅 8 Dec 2024 | 🕑 14:00
📍 NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam
Toyota SA
EPCR Challenge Cup
Rugby Nederland pic.twitter.com/7P0lXeqqwu
But Steyn in a press conference told reporters that the Cheetahs feel their future lies in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The French didn’t want us in the Challenge Cup,” he said. “I can also see how seriously the French take their European competition. I think South African teams being in European cups definitely hurt the competition from some individuals’ point of view.”
Steyn then went on to say that the Cheetahs wanted to be back in Super Rugby again.
“Do you want to know if I think South African teams should be in Super Rugby or the northern hemisphere? The Free State would love to be a part of Super Rugby, or they should give us a permanent competition in the northern hemisphere, but playing four games away from home and then struggling to find game time for the rest of the season is difficult for us.”
“I think the Cheetahs wouldn’t mind playing in Super Rugby. We want to play an attacking brand of rugby; in Europe you need a big pack of forwards.”
But with their current EPCR Challenge, the Cheetahs believe they can go further than the last 16 in this season’s competition.
“In our pack we have got great experience, I can’t wait to see what the guys do on Sunday. We had a great preseason and the guys are in good spirits – hopefully we see that on the field. I just hope we can play one of the games in Bloemfontein so we can show the teams what we can do.”
The Cheetahs open their campaign against French side Perpignan on Sunday.
Toyota Cheetahs touring squad:
FORWARDS: Aranos Coetzee, Schalk Ferreira, Corne Fourie, Robert Hunt, Daniel Maartens, Oupa Mohoje, Friedle Olivier, Vernon Paulo, Jeandre Rudolph, Victor Sekekete, Pierre Uys, Hencus van Wyk, Gideon van der Merwe, Louis van der Westhuizen, Laurence Victor, Carl Wegner.
BACKS: Michael Annies, Carel-Jan Coetzee, Ruben de Haas, Munier Hartzenberg, Marco Janse van Vuren, Cohen Jasper, Rewan Kruger, George Lourens, Ali Mgijima, Prince Nkabinde, Ethan Wentzel.