No contract extension for future Bok

NEWS: Six players have extended their contracts with the Cheetahs, but there has been no confirmation of an extension for their best player.

Props Aranos Coetzee and Charles Marais and flanks Junior Pokomela and Aidon Davis will be putting on the Cheetah jersey until October 31, 2022 and versatile forward, Marnus van der Merwe will be staying in Bloemfontein until October 31, 2023.

The contract of the American scrumhalf, Ruben de Haas has been extended for another year until October 31, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Cheetahs still have not confirmed the playing future of star hooker Joseph Dweba.

It was reported back in January that French club Bordeaux-Begles were interested in the 24-year-old's services and they were set to sign him ahead of the 2020/2021 European season.

Dweba's contract with the Cheetahs ends in October this year.

It is believed that the Sharks are also interested in signing Dweba.

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*Coetzee represented Namibia in two Rugby World Cups and received the Cheetahs' Super Rugby player of the year award in 2017. His extension together with stalwart Marias will bring consistency in the front row.

Davis, who is a former South African Schools and Junior Springbok loose forward, returned to South Africa following a stint in France, where he played for both Toulon and Bayonne.

Davis featured for the Cheetahs in numerous games in the 2018/19 Pro14, but his season was cut short when he sustained a bad fracture to his leg during a training session.

The 2016 World Rugby Under-20 vice-captain, Pokomela made his Super Rugby and Currie Cup debut in 2017 and represented the Cheetahs ever since.

De Haas is a third-generation Free State player. His dad Pieter, and grandfather, Gerard, both represented the Free State at provincial level. Born in George in the Southern Cape, De Haas, grew up in Jessieville High School, Arkansas.

He represented the USA at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

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