There was plenty of good news for the Free State outfit, who reached the semi-finals last season, with the squad assembling at near full strength. The only notable injury concern was flyhalf Jaco van der Walt, who is still recovering from a fractured hand sustained during the EPCR Challenge Cup.

The two most high-profile absentees were fiery hooker Vernon Paulo, who has since joined the Stormers, and rock-solid loosehead prop Cameron Dawson, who has made the move to the Sharks.

Vernon Paulo - Morgan Piek

Despite those departures, more than 40 players were put through their paces on Monday morning, and the energy around the camp was unmistakably electric as the Cheetahs set the tone for the new campaign.

While he did not train with the squad on Monday, Cheetahs head coach Frans Steyn revealed that exciting young flyhalf Darius Erwee – who matriculated at Grey College in 2025 – could be in line for valuable game time during the SA Cup.

Following what Steyn described as a much-needed reset, he told OFM Sport that it is crucial for the team to hit the ground running and build on the progress shown in their Challenge Cup clash against Racing 92, a heartbreaking 31–28 defeat in Paris decided right at the death.

“I hope the players had a good couple of weeks’ rest and that what we experienced in Paris can transfer into the SA Cup,” said Steyn.

“But we know we need to work extremely hard over the next few weeks.”

“We knew it was going to be a massive challenge, especially with them being unbeaten at home for 16 or 17 games. One or two mistakes from our side cost us. Things like quick throw-ins and quick taps are areas we need to learn from and react to better.”

Darius Erwee - Morgan Piek

Steyn added that while luck has often been a talking point in recent seasons, the focus now is firmly on creating their own opportunities.

“Over the last few seasons we’ve spoken about the ball not bouncing our way, but in this SA Cup we need to create our own luck – and that comes from hard work.”

With Currie Cup qualification once again up for grabs, Steyn admitted that a top-four finish is non-negotiable, but warned that the road ahead will be tougher than ever.

“It’s going to be hard. At this stage last year we were dealing with close to 20 injuries. Now we want to play well, set high standards and start the year in South Africa on a positive note.

Frans Steyn - Morgan Piek

“I’m excited to see where we can go. Having 40 players in training is a massive positive after last year’s struggles, and it’s something we can really look forward to with this squad.”

In the build-up to the SA Cup, the Cheetahs will play just one warm-up match – fewer than their rivals – when they face Eastern Province in Graaff-Reinet on 21 February. While it’s a long road trip, it serves as a halfway meeting point for both teams.

The Cheetahs’ SA Cup campaign kicks off on 6 March when they host Hawies Fourie’s Boland Cavaliers at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport