2017–18 Cheetahs season

In the 2017–18 rugby union season, the participated in the Pro14 competition, their inaugural appearance in the competition after losing their Super Rugby status after the 2017 season.

Personnel

Coaches and management

The Cheetahs coaching and management staff for the 2017–18 Pro14 season were:

2017–18 Cheetahs coaches and management Position Name Director of Rugby Franco Smith Head coach Rory Duncan Forwards coach Corniel van Zyl Backline coach Dave Williams Defence coach Charl Strydom Team manager Sakkie Wessels Medical doctor Dr Rudi de Wet Physiotherapist JP du Toit Biokineticist Quintin Kruger

Squad

The Cheetahs' squad for the 2017–18 Pro14 is:

2017–18 Cheetahs squad Player Position/s Date of birth (age) Pro14 Cheetahs Apps Pts Apps Pts Fullback – – – – Fullback – – – – Lock – – – – Centre – – – – Lock 25 0 – – Fullback – – – – Prop – – – – Loose forward – – – – Fullback – – – – Prop – – – – Prop – – – – Prop – – – – Loose forward – – – – Hooker – – – – Hooker – – – – Fly-half – – – – Fly-half – – – – Wing 13 10 – – Hooker – – – – Lock – – – – Fullback – – – – Prop – – – – Loose forward – – – – Lock – – – – Prop – – – – Centre – – – – Centre – – – – Lock – – – – Flanker – – – – Wing – – – – Prop – – – – Fly-half – – – – Wing – – – – Scrum-half – – – – Centre – – – – Scrum-half – – – – Loose forward – – – – Prop – – – – Wing – – – – Loose forward – – – – Wing – – – – Fly-half – – – – Loose forward – – – – Wing – – – – Loose forward – – – – Centre – – – – Scrum-half – – – – Wing – – – – Fly-half – – – – Centre – – – – Hooker – – – – Scrum-half – – – – Loose forward – – – – Hooker – – – – Scrum-half – – – – Centre – – – – Lock – – – – Lock – – – – Lock – – – – Loose forward – – – – Wing – – – – Fly-half – – – – Note: Players' ages and statistics are correct as of 1 September 2017, the date of the opening round of the competition. Pro14 appearances only.

Player movements

Player movements between the end of the 2017 Super Rugby season and the end of the 2017–18 Pro14 season are as follows:

transfers 2017–2018 Pos 2017 squad Out In 2017–18 players PR Tom Botha Aranos Coetzee Charles Marais Danie Mienie Ox Nché Danie Mienie (to ) Luan de Bruin (from ) Erich de Jager (from ) Günther Janse van Vuuren (from ) Johan Kotze (from ) Tom Botha Aranos Coetzee Luan de Bruin Erich de Jager Günther Janse van Vuuren (did not play) Johan Kotze (did not play) Charles Marais Ox Nché HK Jacques du Toit (did not play) Joseph Dweba Elandré Huggett Torsten van Jaarsveld Reinach Venter Jacques du Toit Joseph Dweba Elandré Huggett (did not play) Torsten van Jaarsveld Reinach Venter (did not play) LK Justin Basson Reniel Hugo Armandt Koster Hilton Lobberts (did not play) Francois Uys Dennis Visser (did not play) Carl Wegner Francois Uys (to ) Rynier Bernardo (from Scarlets) Ntokozo Vidima (from ) Justin Basson Rynier Bernardo Reniel Hugo Armandt Koster Hilton Lobberts (did not play) Ntokozo Vidima (did not play) Dennis Visser Carl Wegner FL Uzair Cassiem Chris Dry Oupa Mohojé Junior Pokomela Boom Prinsloo Paul Schoeman Henco Venter Boom Prinsloo (to ) Daniel Maartens (from ) Gerhard Olivier (from ) Jasper Wiese (from ) Uzair Cassiem Chris Dry Daniel Maartens Oupa Mohojé Gerhard Olivier Junior Pokomela Paul Schoeman Henco Venter Jasper Wiese N8 Niell Jordaan Niell Jordaan SH Tian Meyer Zee Mkhabela Ruan van Rensburg Shaun Venter JP Smith (from ) Tian Meyer Zee Mkhabela JP Smith (did not play) Ruan van Rensburg (did not play) Shaun Venter FH Ryno Eksteen (did not play) Niel Marais Fred Zeilinga Johan Goosen (unattached) Robbie Petzer (from ) Ernst Stapelberg (from ) Ryno Eksteen (did not play) Johan Goosen Niel Marais Robbie Petzer Ernst Stapelberg Fred Zeilinga CE Rayno Benjamin Nico Lee Ali Mgijima William Small-Smith Clinton Swart Michael van der Spuy Francois Venter Michael van der Spuy (retired) Tertius Kruger (from ) Rayno Benjamin Tertius Kruger Nico Lee Ali Mgijima William Small-Smith Clinton Swart Francois Venter WG JW Jonker Luther Obi Sergeal Petersen Raymond Rhule JW Jonker (to ) Lloyd Greeff (from ) Makazole Mapimpi (from ) Rabz Maxwane (from ) Rosko Specman (from South Africa Sevens) Lihleli Xoli (from ) Lloyd Greeff Makazole Mapimpi Rabz Maxwane Luther Obi Sergeal Petersen Raymond Rhule Rosko Specman Lihleli Xoli (did not play) FB Clayton Blommetjies Cecil Afrika (from South Africa Sevens) Craig Barry (from ) AJ Coertzen (from ) Malcolm Jaer (from ) Cecil Afrika Craig Barry Clayton Blommetjies AJ Coertzen Malcolm Jaer Coach Franco Smith Franco Smith (to Director of Rugby) Rory Duncan (from Director of Rugby) Rory Duncan

Standings

The final Conference B log standings are:

2017–18 Pro14 Conference A Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 21 15 1 5 614 366 +248 81 38 12 2 76 2 21 13 1 7 568 361 +207 78 42 10 5 69 3 21 12 0 9 609 554 +55 75 68 10 5 63 4 21 11 0 10 502 482 +20 56 59 5 5 54 5 21 9 0 12 390 487 −97 44 60 5 3 44 6 21 7 0 14 445 477 −32 53 54 5 6 39 7 21 7 0 14 408 593 −185 50 78 4 4 36

Legend and competition rules Legend: Conference leaders, qualify to play-off semifinals. P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points Second and third placed teams, qualified to play-off quarterfinals. Competition rules:

Round-by-round

The table below shows the Cheetahs' progression throughout the season. For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the conference position:

Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 R15 R16 R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 QF SF Final Opposition Cumulative Points 0 0 5 10 15 16 20 20 25 29 30 35 40 41 41 43 47 52 57 58 63 Lost Position 7th 7th 5th 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd Lost Key: win draw loss bye

Matches

The Cheetahs' fixtures for their inaugural season in Pro14 are:

Player statistics

The Pro14 appearance record for players that represented the Cheetahs in 2017–18 is as follows:

2017–18 Cheetahs player statistics Player name App Try Con Pen DG Pts Charles Marais 1 1 17 1 1 1 17 17 1 1 1 17 17 17 1 1 17 17 17 17 20 0 0 0 0 0 Jacques du Toit 2 2 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 2 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 18 1 0 0 0 5 Aranos Coetzee 3 3 18 18 18 18 18 3 3 3 3 18 3 3 18 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 22 0 0 0 0 0 Justin Basson 4 20 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 13 0 0 0 0 0 Reniel Hugo 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 19 21 1 0 0 0 5 Paul Schoeman 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 20 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 21 2 0 0 0 10 Henco Venter 7 7 7 7 7 7 21 6 20 6 7 7 20 20 20 20 20 17 1 0 0 0 5 Niell Jordaan 8 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 Shaun Venter 9 9 9 21 21 21 21 22 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 16 3 0 0 0 15 Clayton Blommetjies 10 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 6 0 0 0 30 Makazole Mapimpi 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 13 10 0 0 0 50 Ali Mgijima 12 22 23 3 0 0 0 0 0 William Small-Smith 13 12 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 4 3 0 0 26 Rosko Specman 14 14 23 14 4 1 0 0 0 5 Sergeal Petersen 15 14 15 15 15 15 15 7 3 0 0 0 15 Torsten van Jaarsveld 16 16 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21 6 0 0 0 30 Ox Nché 17 17 1 17 17 17 1 1 17 17 17 1 1 1 17 17 1 1 1 1 1 1 22 3 0 0 0 15 Tom Botha 18 18 3 3 3 3 3 18 18 18 18 3 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 20 0 0 0 0 0 Rynier Bernardo 19 4 19 19 19 19 4 20 7 7 19 19 19 5 19 19 19 19 19 5 20 1 0 0 0 5 Gerhard Olivier 20 1 0 0 0 0 0 Tian Meyer 21 21 21 9 9 9 9 9 21 21 21 9 9 9 9 9 16 3 0 0 0 15 Cecil Afrika 22 23 2 0 0 0 0 0 Rayno Benjamin 23 23 2 0 0 0 0 0 Robbie Petzer 10 1 0 1 2 0 8 Francois Venter (c) 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 16 3 0 0 0 15 Armandt Koster 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 Junior Pokomela 8 20 20 20 7 8 8 8 20 20 20 10 1 0 0 0 5 Ernst Stapelberg 10 10 10 10 10 10 6 0 15 14 0 72 Luther Obi 14 23 23 14 14 23 23 11 6 2 0 0 0 10 Chris Dry 20 1 0 0 0 0 0 Nico Lee 22 22 22 22 23 12 12 12 12 13 13 12 12 12 12 14 6 0 0 0 30 Oupa Mohojé 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 20 20 7 7 7 7 7 16 2 0 0 0 10 Raymond Rhule 14 14 2 0 0 0 0 0 Carl Wegner 19 4 4 4 4 19 19 19 4 4 4 4 12 0 0 0 0 0 Jasper Wiese 20 7 19 19 2 0 0 0 0 0 Fred Zeilinga 22 15 10 10 10 10 10 10 22 22 22 10 22 12 1 24 11 0 86 Tertius Kruger 13 22 22 2 0 0 0 0 0 Joseph Dweba 16 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 Dennis Visser 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 Zee Mkhabela 21 21 22 22 21 21 21 9 21 21 21 21 21 9 0 0 0 0 0 Daniel Maartens 20 20 2 0 0 0 0 0 Craig Barry 23 14 15 14 14 14 14 14 14 9 4 0 0 0 20 Rabz Maxwane 23 11 23 11 11 11 11 11 8 5 0 0 0 25 Uzair Cassiem 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 12 4 0 0 0 20 Niel Marais 22 12 12 22 10 10 10 12 10 12 10 12 12 1 14 10 0 63 AJ Coertzen 23 23 23 23 23 23 5 0 0 0 0 0 Clinton Swart 21 22 12 22 12 22 6 0 0 0 0 0 Malcolm Jaer 23 11 11 3 1 0 0 0 5 Luan de Bruin 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Erich de Jager 18 17 17 2 0 0 0 0 0 Johan Goosen 10 22 10 3 0 2 2 0 10 Lloyd Greeff 23 23 2 0 0 0 0 0 penalty try – 1 – – – 7 Total 22 76 59 39 0 617

(c) denotes the team captain. For each match, the player's squad number is shown. Starting players are numbered 1 to 15, while the replacements are numbered 16 to 23. If a replacement made an appearance in the match, it is indicated by . "App" refers to the number of appearances made by the player, "Try" to the number of tries scored by the player, "Con" to the number of conversions kicked, "Pen" to the number of penalties kicked, "DG" to the number of drop goals kicked and "Pts" refer to the total number of points scored by the player.

Ryno Eksteen, Elandré Huggett, Günther Janse van Vuuren, Johan Kotze, Hilton Lobberts, JP Smith, Ruan van Rensburg, Reinach Venter, Ntokozo Vidima and Lihleli Xoli did not make any appearances.

See also

Cheetahs Pro14

References