VS CHEETAHS 27 SEPTEMBER1 SEP 14:00 2019 • 19:05 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 Toyota Cheetahs vs Glasgow Warriors TOYOTA CHEETAHS Guinness PRO14 Fixtures MARKETING MANAGER Kobus le Roux COPYRIGHT The official Cheetahs 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 It’s been 125 days since Leinster Rugby won their sixth title in Glasgow and now the Guinness PRO14 is primed for another exciting season as rugby becomes the headline act across the globe for the next six weeks. Of course, the Rugby World Cup will help us grow the game of rugby even further and it’s great to know the Guinness PRO14 will be a rich part of the fabric out in Japan. We’ve got 116 players from the Championship representing 10 countries – Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Italy, Namibia, Scotland, Tonga, USA, Wales & Samoa. The fields of the Guinness PRO14 will also be ripe with fresh ‘Next-Gen’ talent who will be the stars of the 2023 Rugby World Cup with many players making their bow over the next few weeks that will rise to become household names. Across the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups close to 60 players appeared for the very first time in our Championship and who have gone on to become key international players – names like Hamish Watson, Carlo Canna, Garry Ringrose, Tadhg Beirne, Sam Johnson and Owen Watkin. Even a key figure in England’s current squad, Sam Underhill, first came to prominence in our Championship. This weekend there is a lot to be excited about. For the first time ever, the Guinness PRO14 season kicks o on South African soil when the Toyota Cheetahs host Glasgow Warriors in Bloemfontein. It’s the Currie Cup champions against last season’s beaten Guinness PRO14 finalists and it promises to be a real exhibition of running rugby. The Cheetahs have added so much flair since joining the competition in 2017 and we’ve watched with great pride as they captured the Currie Cup earlier this month. Ruan Pienaar will be a familiar face to fans across the Guinness PRO14 and his presence should give the Cheetahs a new edge in tight games this season. We also have teams kicking o their campaigns in Belfast, Limerick, Port Elizabeth, Treviso, Llanelli and Edinburgh with every game shown live in the UK on Premier Sports with Super Sport, eir Sport, TG4, S4C & DAZN ensuring fans in South Africa, Ireland, Wales and Italy get their fill of Guinness PRO14 action. Across the summer lots of hard work has gone on to keep raising the standards of the Guinness PRO14 and our Elite Referee Manager, Greg Garner, has been busier than most. For the next six rounds every refereeing appointment is neutral as Greg has made sure that neutrality, capability and experience combine to put our best foot forward. This weekend we’ll have over 350 appearances worth of experience shared across our seven referees, five of whom have held the whistle at international level. We have invested right across the tournament, too, thanks to sponsors like Guinness, Big Red Cloud and Ronseal, and our suppliers Gilbert and Macron who all play fantastic roles in supporting our Championship. This weekendKAARTJIES AANLYNmarks the BESKIKBAAR beginning - www.fscheetahs.co.za of the 152-game trek towards the Guinness PRO14 Final at Cardi City Stadium on June 20. The competition to wrestle the trophy away from Leinster looks more competitive than ever but your journey to Cardi City Stadium doesn’t even require you to make a tackle. Last year saw yet another record attendance at the Guinness PRO14 Final, but with limited availability in 2020 be sure to visit www.pro14rugby.org/final to take advantage of early bird prices and get the best seats before they’re gone! Enjoy the game, Martin TOYOTA SPONSOR’S MESSAGE Welcome to today’s Guinness PRO14 match serve as proud ambassadors for the Toyota here at the Toyota Stadium. Cheetahs on the field of battle in Europe and South Africa, and you will become fantastic It is the dawn of a new era at the Toyota Chee- role models to the future generations of not tahs as we start the 2019/20 PRO14 season only Toyota Cheetahs fans but players. at home, along with a new coach in the form of Hawies Fourie. We welcome Fourie back to Hawies Fourie, we wish you a happy return to the side after previously being an assistant the Toyota Stadium, and along with your before pursuing a fruitful career as head technical staff, we are sure that you will stamp coach at numerous teams across South Africa. your authority on the PRO14. It will be a The 2018/19 PRO14 campaign did fall short bumpy and tough road that you will be of expectations, but it is a new season, and walking along with the team as you pursue one to be very excited about. The Toyota glory, but we will proudly be walking alongside Cheetahs open their campaign with three you every step of the way. matches against some of the best Europe has to offer. Lastly, to our die-hard fans. We cannot stress enough what you mean to us and the entire The Toyota Cheetahs will embark on two Toyota Cheetahs family. Thank you for three-match tours to Europe again and there welcoming our friends from Ireland, Italy, will be a long spell where the team will not be Scotland and Wales with open arms every time in action at the Toyota Stadium, however, this they visit the City of Roses. We once again look does lead to the backend of the season where forward to your die-hard support and embrac- the Toyota Cheetahs will be closing their ing the visiting supporters. campaign with no less than seven of their last eight matches being played at home. That is a Enjoy the Game! very big advantage indeed. Measuring oneself against the very best Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales have to offer is not going to be an easy task, and let’s not forget about our fellow South Africans, the Southern Kings. This is, however, a journey we are looking forward to undertaking with the team. We are happy to announce that there has only been a handful of players leaving the Toyota Andrew Kirby Cheetahs, and we would like to wish them well President and CEO as they further their careers elsewhere. By the of Toyota South Africa same token, this has also granted several players the opportunity to step up. To the players, we have no doubt that you will FREE STATE RUGBY UNION MESSAGE CHEETAHS It is a big privilege for me as President A very special word of thanks to of the Free State Rugby Union to Toyota for their sponsorship of the welcome everyone to the Guinness Toyota Cheetahs as well as all the PRO14 opening match in Toyota other sponsors without whom we Stadium. cannot be successful. We would like to welcome our visitors May you all enjoy this day and from Glasgow in Scotland as well as especially the camaraderie of rugby Lesotho. We hope that you enjoy the friends. warm hospitality in the City of Roses. Free State Rugby is furthermore Your Sincerely hosting the Free State Sub Union and the Lesotho National side in a curtain-raiser to the Guinness PRO14 match between the Toyota Cheetahs and Glasgow Warriors. Today we welcome you, our loyal supporters, back and also thank you for your wonderful support. Your support encourages the team and motivates them to reach bigger Jerry Segwaba heights. It’s great to see the level of President passion and commitment of fans that live and breathe every kick, every hit, every call and every try. WALT STEENKAMP FREE STATE CHEETAHS (PTY) LTD MESSAGE CHEETAHS It is an honour for me to welcome and Top 14, Guinness PRO14 rank everyone to the opening match of the number one in tries-, points-, successful 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 with the scrums-, bull in play- and fewest penalties match between the Toyota Cheetahs and per match. Guinness PRO14 boasts with the runners up from last season, Glasgow 880 tries scored in the 2018/19 regular Warriors for Scotland. We hope that season, average 6.2 tries per match, you’ve experience our warm hospitality in which makes it a very exciting the Free State. championship to be part. I want to extend a special word of We hope that everyone will enjoy all the welcome to all our sponsors, suite excitement and fun with us and let’s hope holders, season ticket holders and loyal we’ll see you again in the next two weeks. supporters in Toyota Stadium. We are fortunate to have a great sponsor in Toyota South Africa. After a successful Currie Cup campaign, the Toyota Cheetahs are motivated to start the championship on a high note and we wish the team the best of luck for the season ahead.