Cheetahs bank on 'fire and ice'
It may be early days and two games are hardly a proper yardstick. However, there are more than just a few hints that the Cheetahs have once against found a winning recipe.
Following last year's disappointing 14th-place finish, the men from Bloemfontein feel they have laid the foundation for a repeat of their break-out season in 2013 - when they reached the Super Rugby play-offs for the first time.
A 35-29 victory in their season-opener over the Sharks in Durban was followed by a bye and a 25-24 squeaker over the Blues in Bloemfontein last week.
It is not so much the results as the type of game they are playing that suggest the Cheetahs may be more than also-rans in 2015.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské, speaking to rugby365 ahead of their Round Four encounter with the dangerous Bulls in Bloemfontein this coming Saturday, said much of the improvements can be put down two players in two key positions.
Drotské said the two gifted players - Le Roux and Pietersen - are doing a "great job" in key positions at No.15 and No.10.
"Their tactical kicking and decision-making - when to play the situation and when to kick - is key to our game," the Cheetahs coach said.
While many wondered why the Cheetahs recruited the 30-year-old Pietersen - after two stints in France - as a flyhalf, given that the former Stormers utility back has not had many first-class appearances in the No.10 jersey.
However, it appears to have been a masterstroke by the Cheetahs' main recruiter - Drotské.
"He brings a lot of experience and calmness - especially at flyhalf it is important to have experience and a calmness," the coach told rugby365.
"You can see how the younger players look up to him and trust his decision-making."
Turning to his team's unbeaten start to the season - albeit with a fortuitous one-point win last week - Drotské declared himself happy.
"We've laid a solid foundation, but Saturday [against the Bulls in Bloemfontein] is an important game for us," he said of an opponent they have beaten only once in 13 encounters, 15-9 in Bloemfontein in 2013.
Having struggled with their defence in 2014 - letting in a tournament high 59 in 16 games - the Cheetahs are looking a lot less porous.
"Our intensity and one-on-one tackling has improved significantly," he said, adding: "We worked hard on that in the off-season.
"In the first game against the Sharks we conceded just two tries and this past Saturday three, against a very good Blues team that poses lots of threats on attack."
By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com