Hogs, Cheetahs in cup final showdown
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday July 26, 2019 12:31
As the cold breeze sifts through nearby Wharic Park, the player will have a sniff of victory, as both sets are eager to take home the prized possession.
Cheetahs are driven by revenge after losing the title to their rivals last year. The SSKB side accounted for Canon Jaguars in the semi-final.
It has been a difficult road for the former champions with some rugby observers arguing that age has caught up with the majority of the players.
The last time Hogs and Cheetahs met, the referee called off the game at half time, with Hogs leading, after Cheetahs coach, Shine Gabatladiwe was accused of abusing a touchline official. Hogs intend to prove that their win last year was not a fluke and that they have what it takes to defend the title. The side has had a good run this season, scoring many points and winning all their matches.
Cheetahs’ Gabatladiwe told Mmegi Sport that his players are ready to take what belongs to them.“We have been through a lot this season. I appeared before the BRU Disciplinary Committee (DC) after being accused of uttering foul language to the touchline judge. Officials were not fair in their decisions against my players. Those are some of the things that we had to deal with,” he said.Gabatladiwe said all those obstacles have motivated his battalion to go all out and fight.
“When we beat Jaguars people were surprised. I was not on the bench, but they did it for me,” Gabatladiwe said.
Hogs coach, Louie Fourie said his team is as ready as can be expected. “We are undefeated this season because at the beginning of the campaign we agreed that we want to win the league back-to-back. That is exactly what we are going to do,” he said. Fourie said Cheetahs are a competitive side and it is always exciting to play them.
He said the consistency at Hogs is due to new developments, which include: a new field, new changing rooms and the fresh blood that has been injected into the club.