Obi was carted off the field in the 20th minute after hyperextending his knee. At this stage, the severity of the injury is unclear and there will be more clarity after he undergoes a scan.

Should turn out to be a long term injury it will come as a devastating blow for both the player and the team.

Earlier in the season Luther Obi hurt his arm while tackled in the air against the defending champions, Scarlets, in Bloemfontein. This resulted in him missing just about two months of rugby.

This all comes on the back of the exciting Malcom Jaer breaking his hand a week prior during the Cheetahs' last minute loss to the Ospreys in Swansea. Jaer himself missed a large part of the season after sustaining a serious leg injury in the Currie Cup, resulting in surgery to his shin.

This latest injury does spread the Cheetahs resources on attack rather thin, especially with Makazole Mapimpi’s departure to the Sharks earlier in the year.

While the news of Obi doesn’t appear very positive at this stage, there is some good news for the team.

Firstly, Rabs Maxwane got a fairly decent run on the park against Connacht with an hour on the pitch, as opposed the 20 minutes he would have gotten as a replacement. In this period he did score which mounted the Cheetahs' comeback.

Secondly, William Small-Smith, is set to make his return after sustaining a serious knee injury against Benetton Rugby earlier in the campaign.

“We haven’t had an official diagnosis yet, but it looks pretty serious. We will probably find out in the next day or so”, said the coach Rory Duncan on Obi’s injury.

“We might have word on Sunday already, but the feedback from the medical department is that it could be a long-term injury.

“William Small-Smith will be returning and obviously he covers that position as well as centre, and AJ Coertzen can also cover that position. Then Rabs had a couple of good moments in the game tonight as well.”

The Cheetahs do enjoy a break now, and next face the Welsh outfit, the Dragons, on 23 March at Rodney Parade in Newport.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport