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Cheetahs to get physical

Friday 10th October 2008

Naka Drotské: 'We have to hit them hard'

Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské has a simple take on how to beat the Blue Bulls in Saturday's Currie Cup semi-final.

Even though he realises it is a monumental task, Drotské only has one game-plan in mind: to dominate the Bulls physically.

"You have to get on top of them physically," said Drotské.

"Yes, it might sound easy in theory, but if you want to beat them you have to hit them hard at the breakdown and dominate the collisions."

Of course, the rough stuff aside, there is also the small matter of having to contend with the partisan Loftus Versfeld crowd - a prospect which seems a lot easier than having to go up against seven World Cup-winning Springboks and that's not even counting Pierre Spies who missed out on France due to illness.

"We know it's a tough ask," said Drotské.

"But it's all down to those 80 minutes on Saturday and we need to stay positive and switched on at all times, as anything can happen out there."

The Cheetahs know more than anyone just what "can happen out there", having beaten Western Province - away - in the 2004 and 2005 semi-finals, before upsetting the selfsame Bulls in the 2005 final in Pretoria to claim their first Currie Cup title since 1976.

"Sure, it would've been easier to have hosted a semi-final, but this is the hand we've been dealt... and we have to live with it," said Drotské, who captained the Cheetahs to that dramatic 29-25 final win over the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld three years ago.

The defending champions have more than just a semi-final match at stake, they have not lost in an Currie Cup play-off match since 2004 (in the final to the Bulls) and they are chasing a fourth successive title.

"People tend to forget that we've actually got quite a young team at the moment," said Drotské.

"We've lost a lot of players since last year's final, so we're in something of a rebuilding phase, too, you could say."

Meanwhile, the Sharks (chasing their first title since 1996), swept all before them during the league phase of this year's Currie Cup, losing just two matches en route to topping the table and sealing home advantage in the play-offs.

"We've been steady all-round this season," said Sharks coach John Plumtree.

"I guess we could still work on our defence, but I've been really happy with the leadership within the squad and then, of course, our bench has done a great job too throughout the season."

With the Sharks in pole position after the regular season, the Lions did things the hard way, becoming the last team to qualify for the semi-finals last weekend - that despite losing 14-6 to Western Province at Newlands.