Cheetahs coach Fourie not happy with quality of their game
Image: Frikkie Kapp/Gallo Images
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie is not happy with the quality of rugby that has been displayed by his unbeaten side in the Currie Cup.
Fourie’s side remain the only team without a defeat in the domestic competition in which they have won all eight round-robin matches. They are behind the top-of-the-table Bulls by just a point, but the men from Pretoria have played nine games.
Fourie is concerned about his players' recent trend of starting on the back foot only to stage a comeback deep in the second half to keep their winning streak intact.
That was the case against the winless Lions in their previous game on Friday at Ellis Park Stadium and also against Western Province before their recent victory in Joburg.
“I’m not satisfied with the quality of our game and in the weeks to come we have to lift our standards,” Fourie said. “That’s exactly what we talked about after the Lions game, when you get to the business end of the competition you can’t afford that kind of performance.”
Fourie’s concern is that the Cheetahs are now going to play against tougher opposition who are also pushing for a place in the playoffs and if they repeat what they did against Lions and Province they will be playing with fire.
The playoffs spot for the Bulls and Cheetahs look almost certain, but the battle is now for top spot.
“If you look at the Pumas beating the Sharks in Durban, they (Pumas) are playing really well at the moment,” Fourie said. “Griquas are also a tough team to play against, especially in Kimberley and that's our last away game.
“So, we can’t just look at the Sharks and the Bulls, we’ve got to produce against Pumas and Griquas as well,” he said. “We want to finish on top of the log and we still have those games to play and the Sharks are next up in Bloem. We have a bye then Griquas away and the Pumas and Bulls at home.”
The Cheetahs will host the Sharks at Free State Stadium on Saturday (2.30pm). The Sharks were quite poor in their Currie Cup clash against the Pumas at home recently and their coach Etienne Fynn expressed his disappointment.
