New Cheetahs chief aims to restore pride of Bloem

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Newly-appointed Free State CEO Rory Duncan is on a quest to insert the Cheetahs into a top-tier league and restore the Cheetahs’ status as one of SA’s premier unions.

“Our main objective is get the rugby back on track,” Duncan said in a Free State Cheetahs press conference announcing his appointment on Wednesday. “We are a rugby club that represents the Free State region, in order to do that we need to change a few things – part of the mission is to get more international competition.

“We are in the EPCR Challenge Cup, but we would like to get involved in a competition like the URC or something similar.

“It’s important for our players and its important for our supporters to achieve something like that. Our goal is take the Cheetahs back to being loved and cherished by supporters, In South Africa there is a lot of people that love the Cheetahs, our vision is take our rugby back to that level where we can earn that support and succeed in international [club] competition.”

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A Cheetahs press release confirmed that Duncan was a unanimous choice for the position: “Rory has an established track record in the rugby world … We have full confidence in his leadership and look forward to the opportunities ahead.”

Duncan was a journeyman lock who represented the Sharks, Southern Kings, Free State – where he led the Cheetahs to Currie Cup glory in 2017 – and clubs in Japan. His transition into coaching saw him take the helm of the Cheetahs in the first PRO14 season in 2017/18, followed by stints in England and Japan.

According to the press release, Duncan was responsible for establishing the Toyota Academy, which produced star players such as Springboks Ox Nche, Jasper Wiese and Joseph Dweba.

“The Free State has played a significant role in shaping me as both a person and a professional. I’m looking forward to working with our team to create a brand once again loved and cherished by supporters,” Duncan said.

“There are challenges, there is no hiding from them and it is no secret they are there. You can either run and hide or take them head-on, address the issues and see how we can move forward.”

Photo: Duncan Ramsey/Getty Images

The post New Cheetahs chief aims to restore pride of Bloem appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.