They did make the Currie Cup final in 2009, when they upset the Sharks in a Durban semifinal before losing to the Blue Bulls in the Loftus decider, but it was the middle part of that decade where they experienced a golden run. In 2005 they won the competition by beating the Bulls in the final, in 2006 they shared it as they and he Bulls drew the deciding game, and in 2007 they edged out the Lions in Bloemfontein.
Erasmus, who coached them to the 2005 and 2006 successes, had already travelled down the N1 to his new home in Durbanville by the time that 2007 final was played, and his departure signalled the end of a mini golden era. You’d hesitate to suggest the success they enjoyed then is beckoning again, but a win on Thursday will put the Cheetahs in with a great chance of hosting the final for the first time since 2007 (that was an understrength final in a World Cup year).
If they prevail against the Lions, it will give the Cheetahs six wins in six starts, with an away match against the Pumas in Nelspruit and a home game against Griquas to come. They already have a four point lead at the top of the log over the next placed team, the Sharks, but they have a game in hand. They’d have to play very poorly in their remaining fixtures to surrender their advantage.
Top spot on the final log will give them home ground advantage in their semi-final as well as home advantage in the final should they get there. So there should be plenty of incentive in this rare Thursday night game against the Currie Cup champions.
After struggling to come to terms with the loss of their Springboks, the Lions hit form in fine style last week by putting more than 50 points past Western Province, who will be watching the Bloemfontein game with a fair amount of interest. They will be hoping that the Cheetahs win and thus send the Lions back towards them in the battle for semifinal spots.
Last year’s beaten finalists should get their campaign back on track without much trouble as their opponents at Newlands on Saturday, the Pumas, haven’t won a game this season. And the Sharks should expect to beat the Eastern Province Kings at Kings Park later on the same day.
