Sekekete missed last week’s 34–24 defeat to the Boland Cavaliers, and his return is a timely boost for the Cheetahs, especially with Carl Wegner sidelined due to a concussion. Adding to the team’s injury woes, dynamic flanker Daniel Maartens will also miss out as he completes his concussion protocol.

The lock impressed during the recent warm-up against the Griffons, reminding everyone of his experience and leadership. 

With over a hundred appearances for the Cheetahs under his belt, Sekekete has repeatedly proven his ability to marshal the forwards and inspire the team.

Curtley Thomas had an excellent game at lock for the Cheetahs against Boland. Photo: Morgan Piek

With a few injuries to contend with, the Cheetahs will likely give one or two newcomers a run, but the responsibility will still rest heavily on the shoulders of the senior players. Sekekete, a Currie Cup-winning captain, is expected to lead from the front and set the tone for the pack.

Speaking to OFM Sport, Sekekete acknowledged the disappointment of last week’s loss but stressed the importance of moving forward.

“This game is very important for us because we need to move on as quickly as possible,” he said.

“We know it was a bad start against the Cavaliers, but that’s behind us now. Everyone has moved on. We want to fix what went wrong, and mainly, we take responsibility ourselves. 

“The boys are focused on correcting the errors and making sure we play a full 80 minutes as we did in the second half.”

While the Cheetahs showed glimpses of their true potential last weekend, Sekekete emphasised the need for consistency. The Leopards, despite a heavy 101–7 defeat to the Suzuki Griquas, have shown they can trouble defences when space opens up.

Carl Wegner sustained a concussion 20 minutes into his 100th game for the Cheetahs. Photo: Morgan Piek

“The scrums were good, and we scored two or three maul tries, which was positive,” Sekekete said.

“But we want more dominance. We know we’re capable of it. The pack has really grown, and that shows both where we are and where we want to go as a forward unit.”

Friday’s clash kicks off at 18:30 at Olën Park, and the Cheetahs will be eager to make amends and set the record straight.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek sm