Director of rugby Frans Steyn believes the Cheetahs would benefit more from inclusion in Super Rugby than playing in European cup competitions.
“The French didn’t want us in the Challenge Cup,” Frans Steyn revealed at a press conference where the Cheetahs squad was unveiled for their 2024-25 Challenge Cup opener against Perpignan in Amsterdam on Sunday.
“I can also see how seriously the French take their European competition… I think South African teams being in European cups definitely hurt the competitions in some individuals’ point of view.”
Asked to comment on the value of the Champions and Challenge Cup to South African teams, Steyn answered: “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.”
The Cheetahs do not participate in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and their inclusion in the Challenge Cup – which only guarantees four pool matches to qualify for the knockout rounds – is by invitation on an annual basis, and their home games are hosted in Amsterdam.
“I think the Cheetahs wouldn’t mind playing in Super Rugby,” Steyn added. “We want to play an attacking brand of rugby; in Europe you need a big pack of forwards.”
Steyn believes the squad is better prepared to make a deep run in the Challenge Cup this year after advancing to the semi-finals of the 2024 Currie Cup.
“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.”
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.
Photo: Romain Biard/Icon Sport via Getty Images
