New coaching structure for Cheetahs

The management of the Free State Cheetahs, received approval for the new appointments and structural changes going into the PRO14 and the overlap with 2017 Currie Cup.

Dave Williams has been appointed as the new backline and attack coach with the PRO14  side as well as the Currie Cup moving forward. Williams is a very experienced coach and was previously assistant-coach for the Koble Steelers in Japan, he also coached London Irish and Bath in England. He was also the backline and coach coordinator for the Southern Kings.

For the overlap with the Currie Cup, the coaching staff of the Cheetahs will be as follows:

Head-coach: Rory Duncan, Forwards coach – Corniel van Zyl, Backline coach – Dave Williams, Defence coach – Charl Strydom, Team Manager – Sakkie Wessels.

Dr Rudi de Wet and JP du Toit will form part of this team, as the team Medical doctor and Physiotherapist. The fitness coordinator and Biokineticist is Quintin Kruger, who also forms part of this team.

Where the PRO14 overlaps with the Currie Cup, structures will be as follows:

Currie Cup Coach will be Daan Human with MJ Smith as backline coach. Albert Keuris will act as skills coach. A medical doctor will be appointed to assist them with Erick Colyn the Physiotherapist.

Ashwell Rafferty will be the Currie Cup Team Manager for the Season and will join PRO14  moving forward.

Franco Smith, Director of Rugby will apart from all his other responsibilities, also assist both teams with skills, structures, and strategy.

The management of Free State Rugby is excited and positive that both teams will avail the necessary expertise, commitment and experience in approaching both competitions Currie Cup and PRO14 at a high level.

It is necessary to point out that the overlapping of the Currie Cup and PRO14 is an extraordinary coincidence because it was implemented at short notice. It is however, foreseeable, that there will not be overlapping in future.

Free State Rugby awaits in great anticipation with the first PRO14 match on Friday 1 September 2017, against Ulster followed a week later against Munster in Ireland.

On the same dates, the Free  State Cheetahs will play in the Currie Cup against the Sharks (Durban) and Western Province (Cape Town), consecutively.

Free State Rugby looks forward to the challenge for all players, staff, coaches as well as our supporters.