It all started with the women’s team beating Gaborone Hogs 5-0, while the men’s side came in to seal the deal by winning 22-15. During the men’s final, Cheetahs showed grit and determination to upset Hogs by outscoring the hosts at Touchdown Ground. Both sides demonstrated enterprise and willingness to take the initiative in the opening exchanges of the match, complemented by effective tactics. At the beginning of the second half, Cheetahs led 10-8, but handling errors were their Achilles’ heel, as they made two errors that led to Hogs scoring two quick tries to take the lead. The side was able to recover and equalise, forcing the nail-biting final to go for extra time. For the first time since 2009, the rugby men’s final went for extra time.
Speaking to Sport Monitor, the excited Cheetahs coach, Eddie Ernest, said it was an emotional victory for him and the players. He said when Hogs took the lead, his players did not panic but rather re-grouped. “With the fitness that we had, I knew my players would go all out. We expected to finish the game at 80 minutes, not extra time. I knew that we could not win the game through the backline, but through the forwards. During practice, we were training our forwards, although they made a few mistakes,” he said. Meanwhile, Ernest raised concerns that the challenges they faced during the season, such as scheduling of games, negatively affected his planning. Cheetahs scrum half, Ketshidile Matenanga, said they came with a different plan, and the players' fitness was at the top level. “I am excited to have won the league and I can finally retire, leaving the team in good standing,” he said. Hogs coach, Vuyo Moyo, said his game plan worked until key players got injured.
