VS CHEETAHS 6 APRIL1 SEP 14:00• 17:30 BLOEMFONTEIN CONTENTS CHEETAHS TOYOTA CHEETAHS EDITORIAL TEAM Guinness PRO14 Welcome Message Ronel Pienaar Kobus le Roux Toyota Sponsor’s Message Chantelle du Plessis Free State Rugby Union Message ADVERTISING AND SUITES Wilna Jurack Free State Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd Message 084 854 4492 Toyota Cheetahs Player Profiles PHOTOGRAPHY Johan Pretorius SA Invitational Deaf XV vs Blue Bulls Deaf Team TOYOTA CHEETAHS Toyota Free State XV vs Griquas XV (Warm-Up Fixture) MARKETING MANAGER Kobus le Roux Toyota Cheetahs vs Ospreys COPYRIGHT The official Cheetahs Guinness PRO14 Fixtures & Results programme is compiled by Yskoud.com under license from Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd. All registered trademarks remain the property of Cheetahs and are used with Cheetahs permission. The views expressed in this programme are not necessarily those of Yskoud.com or Cheetahs. All right reserved. No part of this programme may be reproduced in any form, without the prior arrangement of the Cheetahs. CheetahsRugby www.facebook.com/CheetahsRugby @CheetahsRugby www.fscheetahs.co.za We haven’t even reached the Guinness PRO14 Final Series and it feels like almost every game has that win or go home element to it as jeopardy becomes the theme of our final three rounds. Between now and Round 21 we have 12 games between teams competing for a place in the Guinness PRO14 Final Series and the Champions Cup Play-O which is like having a mini-pool stage all of its own. This weekend we’ve got Glasgow Warriors and Ulster going head to head at Scotstoun desperate to keep the pressure on their rivals in both Conferences straight o the back of their Champions Cup Quarter-Final performances. At the same time on Friday we’ll have Munster and Cardi Blues battling it out in Thomond Park in a clash between the two Conference A contenders while on Saturday Edinburgh go to Llanelli knowing that a priceless away win could see them leapfrog Benetton and close the gap on Ulster in Conference B. But who would rule out Scarlets nicking the final knock-out berth from Conference B? They have three must-win games and with internationals returning and key men coming back from injury Wayne Pivac could sneak his team into the Guinness PRO14 Final Series. If that happens I don’t think anyone will be keen to face the only team in the Championship’s history to have won away from home in the knock-out stages. At this point we know for sure that Leinster along with Glasgow Warriors will take their place in the Guinness PRO14 Final Series while Munster look all but sure of their place, but to see the likes of Benetton, Cardi Blues, Connacht, Edinburgh, Scarlets, Ospreys and Ulster all in the mix to join them is more than we could have envisioned when we expanded the knock-out stages. The knock-on eect is greater intensity in our contests and more opportunity for our teams to prove they can still play attractive rugby in pressure situations. It’s one of the reasons we had five teams from the Guinness PRO14 playing in the Champions Cup Quarter-Finals last weekend. The games in Edinburgh and Dublin were terrific encounters, dripping with drama and won by only the slightest of margins. It’s games of that calibre that we will be seeing on a regular basis in our competition right the way up until the Guinness PRO14 Final on May 25. Hard luck to Edinburgh, Ulster and Warriors on their European exits, doubtless they will redouble their focus on the Guinness PRO14 and once again we’ll keep our eyes closely peeled on the fortunes of Leinster and Munster as they take on two of European rugby’s biggest powerhouses in Toulouse and Saracens in the Semi-Finals. As I mentioned the race for the Final Series is reaching fever pitch and with Leinster already qualified with a home Semi-Final it’s going to take a serious eort to wrestle the trophy away from them – but the Guinness PRO14 is becoming more unpredictable each season so this year’s winners could yet come from Scotland, Italy or Wales. Of course, the Guinness PRO14 Final is coming up into view at Celtic Park on May 25 and without even making a tackle you can guarantee your place by going direct to bit.ly/glasgow2019 to get your tickets. The Guinness PRO14 Final has become a great event for supporters of all our clubs and if you fancy treating yourself, or perhaps surprising that passionate rugby fan in your life, then a trip to Celtic Park on May 25 should do the trick! KAARTJIES AANLYN BESKIKBAAR - www.fscheetahs.co.za Enjoy the game, Martin Anayi Chief Executive Ocer NEW SPONSORSHIP DEAL CHEETAHS TOYOTA SOUTH AFRICA MOTORS AND TOYOTA CHEETAHS ANNOUNCE A NEW SPONSORSHIP DEAL Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) is performed admirably by winning the pleased to announce the renewal of Currie Cup in 2016 and being the Toyota Free State Cheetahs rugby-pioneers by moving over from sponsorship for another three years Super Rugby into the northern spanning into 2022. This contract will hemisphere’s Guinness Pro14 and in still include the title sponsorship for the process qualifying for a quarter the Toyota Cheetahs Pro14, Currie final spot in 2018. In this period the Cup, SuperSport Rugby Challenge Toyota Cheetahs also hosted the and junior teams. The sponsorship 2016 Currie Cup final, 2017 Test also include the naming rights of match between the Springboks and Toyota Stadium – an icon in Australia and the 2018 Test match Bloemfontein and the Free State - as between the Springboks and England well as the naming rights of the Toyota in Toyota Stadium. Cheetah Academy – breeding ground of the next generation Toyota Cheetah “Through the Toyota Cheetahs players. Academy we invested in the young talent and helping the Toyota TSAM over the past eight years has Cheetahs to develop rugby and life cemented its support and skills of our future Cheetahs and commitment to both the Cheetahs Springboks. In 2018 another product and the Free State. The sponsorship of the Toyota Cheetah academy in the has created incredible opportunities form of Ox Nche was awarded his for Toyota to interact with not only Springbok blazer. The possibility of Cheetah fans but rugby supporters helping young stars achieve their across South Africa. The sponsorship dreams, is a very exciting and has included coaching clinics for humbling thought, which we are children in and around Bloemfontein, proud to be a part of.” says Calvyn VIP Toyota Owners Parking, fan Hamman, Senior Vice President of engagement at Toyota Stadium and Sales and Marketing at Toyota South the giveaway of two Toyota Hilux Africa Motors. vehicles in the process. Over the past three years of the sponsorship the Toyota Cheetahs also NEW SPONSORSHIP DEAL CHEETAHS FREE STATE RUGBY UNION MESSAGE CHEETAHS It is a big privilege for me as President for your wonderful support. Your of the Free State Rugby Union to support encourages the team and welcome everyone to a feast of rugby motivates them to reach bigger today here in Toyota Stadium. heights. It’s great to see the level of passion and commitment of fans who We would like to welcome some live and breathe every kick, every hit, special guests, the players from four every call and every try. teams who have played their way into contention for the SA Deaf Rugby A very special word of thanks to national squad this past week as they Toyota for their sponsorship of the battled it out in the inaugural Stones Toyota Cheetahs as well as all the Cup, hosted in Bloemfontein. other sponsors without whom we cannot be successful. The tournament, which featured the Blue Bulls Deaf team, Western May you all enjoy this day and Province Thunder Deaf, SA Deaf especially the camaraderie of rugby Invitational XV and the Western friends. Province Cyclones Deaf. The tournament served as the first South Your Sincerely African Deaf Rugby matches since the encounter between the Blue Bulls and Western Province Deaf sides in 2005. Free State Rugby is proud to be hosting the SA Invitational Deaf XV who will line up against the Blue Bulls Deaf at the Toyota Stadium in a curtain-raiser to the Guinness PRO14 match between the Toyota Cheetahs and Ospreys. Jerry Segwaba President Today we welcome you, our loyal supporters, back and also thank you TIAN SCHOEMAN FREE STATE CHEETAHS (PTY) LTD MESSAGE CHEETAHS It has been a while since we’ve had rugby trophy, host test matches and make a in Toyota Stadium with the Toyota seamless move from participating in the Cheetahs on tour in Ireland, Wales and Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Scotland. We are excited to be hosting Hemisphere. We would again like to today’s Guinness PRO14 match against thank our sponsor, our partner and our Ospreys and I would like to extend a fiends – Toyota SA! warm word of welcome our visitors from With only two matches remaining after Wales to Bloemfontein. this round the Toyota Cheetahs are highly motivated to finish the competition on a A special word of welcome to all our memorable note. sponsors, suite holders, season ticket holders and loyal supporters to Toyota We wish Franco and his team well with the Stadium. encounter tonight. We are fortunate to have a great sponsor We hope that everyone will enjoy the in Toyota South Africa who has recently event with us. extended the Toyota Free State Cheetahs sponsorship for another three years spanning into 2022. The Toyota Cheetahs has over the last eight years being very blessed to be associated with Toyota South Africa.