The Toyota Cheetahs are approaching Saturday’s Currie Cup derby against the Suzuki Griquas in Kimberley like a playoff.

The Cheetahs must return to winning ways to keep their semi-final chances alive following back-to-back defeats. The Pumas are breathing down the necks of the Cheetahs and a loss will put the team from Mbombela in a strong position to pounce.

The former Pumas and Lions hooker, Corné Fourie, told OFM Sport  the most important thing is to advance to the next stage and to do that it’s important to stick to the process.

“No matter what the situation is, even if it’s round one, you always focus on the process and not the goal,” said the seasoned hooker.

“So, having a home semi-final would have been great, now with that off the cards, although you never know what happens in the coming week, the process stays the process.

For us just getting into the top four, the semi-finals, and for us as a team getting to the cup is the most important part.”

While the Currie Cup often gets labelled as a watered-down competition, there is no doubt that the competition is much stronger this season with the bigger unions fielding much better squads. Fourie, who grew up loving the game through watching the Currie Cup added that it’s an important competition and there is a reason why it’s the oldest competition.

Corné Fourie. Photo: Morgan Piek

“There’s a reason why it’s the world’s oldest domestic competition, because it means so much. I think if you don’t have the Currie Cup you won’t have the breeding ground that South Africa currently has,” Fourie added.

“If you look at the Springboks – the depth that is created. Every single guy there has come through the Currie Cup and has made his name in the competition.

“Looking back at the photos, I can remember 2006 I was in the stadium when the Cheetahs won the Currie Cup. My first experience watching rugby was in 1993 at Loftus watching the Bulls, and it was Currie Cup rugby that you wanted to watch as a kid. That goes over into international rugby and I think that is where the love of the game comes from.”

Friday’s derby at the Suzuki Stadium kicks off at 15:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek  dg