Cheetahs captain optimistic about Super Rugby fortunes
Cheetahs captain Francois Venter says there is a lot for the team to be optimistic about, despite their inconsistencies during Super Rugby this season.
The Cheetahs haven’t had a lot to celebrate on the field, having only won three out of their 12 matches during the first half of the Super Rugby campaign.
Their most recent defeat was a 31-24 loss against the Stormers at Newlands last Saturday.
However, Venter believes there are developments to be happy about.
He believes the team is maturing and progressing very quickly for a young squad, who lacked experience at the start of the season. The 25-year-old believes this will set a foundation for an exciting future.
This is already evident as four Cheetahs players have been called up for international duty – lock Lood de Jager is in the Springbok squad, while flank Oupa Mohoje, wing Sergeal Petersen and Venter will be in action for the SA ‘A’ side.
“We’re gaining the necessary experience as a squad,” Venter told MyPlayers. “We lost many key players in recent seasons, leaving us with more youth than experience. But the team is really gelling well considering.
“We’re creating many opportunities on attack. We just need to convert more of them. We know what we are capable of… we just need to keep that in mind as we continue to grow and progress as a team. Looking ahead, I’m excited about our future.
“All the players want to play an exciting brand of rugby and win more games – to give our fans something to be proud about. This is just the beginning for Cheetahs rugby.”
Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith echoed the same sentiments, saying he’s been proud of the team’s performances.
“The intent is there. We had some unlucky moments against the Stormers. If we took our opportunities, the result could’ve been different,” said Smith.
“We did well to put so much pressure on a side that is in a position to qualify for the tournament play-offs. We now have five weeks to refresh and return even better in July.”