During their previous tour, the Cheetahs weren’t able to secure victories against Connacht, Scarlets and Cardiff Blues albeit they came close are were somewhat unlucky.

The important thing for the Cheetahs is to forget about the previous tour and let bygones be bygones.

There are a couple of new faces on tour, while a few more experienced players are also boarding the flight.

The team flies out to Wales on Wednesday for what will be their last match of the calendar year. The coach Hawies Fourie and captain, Ruan Pienaar, flew out to the UK on Monday already.

The Cheetahs utility back, William Small-Smith, told OFM Sport that this is one last hard push before a well-deserved break.

“After the Cardiff game, we got on the bus at 8:30 the next morning to go to the airport. Then your flights start. Cardiff to Dublin, Dublin to Istanbul, in Istanbul for four hours, then to Johannesburg, in Johannesburg for six hours and then from Joburg to Bloemfontein.

“You only get here on Monday evening and the game has been replaying in your head. Then you are away from the playing field for two weeks and that same game is still on your mind.

“After the game against the Ospreys we won’t play again until the 4th of January, so it will be great to go there, put in a solid performance, bring a win back home and then take a much-needed rest.

“As the coach Corniel van Zyl has said the last sixteen weeks compares to Super Rugby. That is how much rugby we’ve played.

“Even though there is three-quarters of the season remaining the guys really do need a December break.

“It will be tough to go on a four-week break knowing that we didn’t give it our best.

“We want to go over, come back with a good heart and then go have a good break.”

Saturday’s game at The Gnoll in Neath kicks off at 21:35.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport