Frans: Cheetahs trying to build something special
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New Cheetahs head coach Frans Steyn wants his team to play “good, winning rugby”.
The double World Cup winner retired as a player in July 2023 after finishing his career in Bloemfontein and was appointed Cheetahs director of rugby three months later.
After a disappointing 2024-25 Challenge Cup campaign that saw the Cheetahs fail to make the round-of-16 for the first time, and the appointment of Rory Duncan as CEO, Steyn has replaced Izak van der Westhuizen as head coach.
Van der Westhuizen will serve as Steyn’s forwards coach during the SA Cup, with former Cheetahs and Springbok teammate Ruan Pienaar the backline coach.
"It's an interesting time. I think we are trying to build something special here," said Steyn at a press conference on Wednesday.
"Even when I was still playing, I couldn't imagine finishing at the Free State Cheetahs and then getting the job afterwards, and now we need to make it work.
"I've got two big men [Pienaar and Van der Westhuizen] next to me who will help me."
Steyn admitted it would be a tough task to make the Cheetahs a powerhouse again.
"I think it will be difficult. I am more nervous about the coaching than the vision that I have. In my heart, I want us to play good, winning rugby."
The Cheetahs will kick off the SA Cup – a 10-team provincial tournament that excludes the four URC unions – against Boland in Wellington on Saturday, 8 March.
Photo: Romain Biard/Icon Sport via Getty Images
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