Rugby
'I'm still getting goosebumps' – Sekekete─── MORGAN PIEK 08:12 Tue, 27 Jun 2023
The Toyota Cheetahs are still overwhelmed after winning the Currie Cup for a seventh time on the weekend after beating the Pumas on a special night in Bloemfontein.
The Cheetahs beat the defending champions the Pumas 25-17 in a buzzing Toyota Stadium to see the iconic trophy returning to Bloemfontein for the first time since 2019.
The win should strengthen the Cheetahs' chances of playing in the EPCR Challenge Cup again, but now it’s a waiting game.
The victorious Cheetahs coach, Victor Sekekete, told OFM Sport that supporters at the stadium made the win that more special.
“This feels amazing,” said the proud and inspirational captain.
“I could use a thousand words to describe the feeling, but it's overwhelming. As a team getting this in Bloemfontein as full as the stadium was, makes it twice as nice.
“From the players' side we thank the team from Bloemfontein for getting behind us. Thank everyone that supported us through this journey.
“It was easy and it was hard work and determination throughout the campaign, and I think that we bought into the plan that we wanted to execute.”
The Cheetahs faithful got behind the team in the last ten minutes of the match in the spur of the moment and unprompted, by switching on their cell phone torches in a truly magical moment that is so typical of the special things that happen in Bloemfontein.
Sekekete added that the crowd backing them and edging them on still gives him goosebumps.
“I'm still getting goosebumps just thinking about that, that was an amazing last ten minutes,” said Sekekete about the crowd getting behind the team.
“We believed it. We believed that the crowd believed that we were going to win. The feeling of knowing that we are backed to win, and everybody on the pitch wanting the same thing is amazing.
“It’s what we've been wanting all the time and we've finally got it.”
The Cheetahs will now enjoy a month-long break before starting their prep to face the Western Force home and away. These games are set to get underway at the end of August with the first two matches in Bloemfontein, while the last two games will be played in Perth.
