Rugby
Cheetahs begin honing for Black Lion─── MORGAN PIEK 08:57 Fri, 03 Oct 2025
The Toyota Cheetahs got back into the swing of things on Thursday following a short break, with their focus now shifting to the Toyota Challenge and the upcoming EPCR Challenge Cup in Europe.
The Cheetahs will take on the Georgian side, Black Lion, who also compete in the Challenge Cup, in two games that will be hosted in Bloemfontein later in October. It’s the perfect opportunity for the squad to fine-tune their game ahead of Europe and will also mark the first time they face Challenge Cup opposition in the Toyota Challenge.
On Thursday and Friday, the Cheetahs are taking things relatively slowly. A positive sign, however, was seeing some of the injured players back in action, including the versatile centre/winger Munier Hartzenberg, who went through his paces with the bulk of the squad.
Frans Steyn. Photo: Morgan Piek
Coach Frans Steyn told OFM Sport that there is always renewed energy in the camp after a break, but for now, it’s about easing back into training before stepping things up on Monday.
“It's good having the guys back after a holiday, and the vibe is always better when they’ve had a break,” said Steyn.
“That said, we’ve got a long road ahead. We need to work hard, improve, and as coaches we’ve looked at what went wrong and where we want to get better.
“Today and tomorrow, we’re just getting the guys back into it. I’ve played rugby, and I know some guys don’t do much during their time off. So, we ease them in first, then on Monday the proper rugby work starts.”
Steyn added that it’s important for the team to improve on their Currie Cup campaign, which saw them knocked out in the semi-finals for a second consecutive year.
“Monday, as I said, the rugby staff will kick in. We’ll roll out our plans and focus on what we want to achieve.
Tiaan Liebenberg. Photo: Morgan Piek
“I need the guys to be fitter and stronger by the end of the year when the EPCR starts.
“We’re not taking this lightly. We know what we need to fix, and we want to see improvements against Black Lion. It won’t be smooth sailing, but even small improvements will make a difference.”
The first clash against Black Lion will take place on Friday, 17 October, at 18:00 at the Toyota Stadium, with the second encounter scheduled for Sunday, 26 October, kicking off at 15:00.
Have a news tip to share? Phone or whatapp the OFM News Hotline: 066 487 1427.
