Another Maties coaching brain joins Cheetahs

NEWS: Cheetahs Strength and Conditioning Coach Quintin Kruger will be leaving the side at the end of May 2020 for a new career opportunity.

Kruger joined Free State Rugby in November 2010 to work with the junior sides and was promoted four years later as Strength and Conditioning coach of the senior team.

The Cheetahs released a statement confirming the news and also wished Kruger  'well on his future endeavours,'.

The Pro14 side already filled the position and the new Strength and Conditioning Coach Andre Smith will join the Cheetahs in June.

Smith has been responsible for the Maties’ fitness since 2013 until now, with the team being Varsity Cup winners in 2018 and 2019.

He was the Strength and Conditioning coach of the SA Schools team in 2016, 2017 and 2019. In 2016 he was responsible for the conditioning of the SA u.20 team and in 2017 he trained the SA A team.

As a former rugby player, the Paarl Gymnasium alumnus represented Western Province at the u.18 Craven Week and was selected for the SA Schools team in 2005 and played for the SA u19 side in 2006. He was contracted by the Lions and studied at UJ.

Last year, former Maties head coach Hawies Fourie signed a four-year contract with the Cheetahs. Fourie replaced Franco Smith, who joined the Italian national side.

The Cheetahs also managed to lure Springboks Francois Steyn back to Bloemfontein earlier this month.

In other news: