Cheetahs captain Victor Sekekete wins his 100th cap as his side and Griquas are each on a four-game winning streak in the Currie Cup.
Cheetahs captain Victor Sekekete described making his 100th appearance for the side as a dream come true, but beating in-form Griquas would be the “cherry on the cake”.
The Cheetahs host Griquas in Bloemfontein on Friday (kick-off 5pm) in the Currie Cup, with each side on a four-game winning streak.
The Cheetahs lead the table with 21 points, the same as Boland Cavaliers, though the Cheetahs have a greater points difference. Griquas are just one point behind in third, though they also have four wins.
With just two round robin matches left before the play-offs, teams are gunning for the top two places so they can host a home semi-final, and final if they finish first.
Milestone after historic win
Last week, the Cheetahs ended their losing streak to the Lions dating back to 2023 with a 47–31 victory in Bloemfontein. Now, Sekekete relishes reaching his milestone while the Cheetahs have momentum.
“That would be a cherry on top,” Sekekete said of a victory. “For now, the goal is to focus on what we want to do as a team, where we are now on the table and taking momentum forward.”
He said Griquas would have taken note of how the Cheetahs allowed the Lions to fight back from a 33–0 deficit just before half-time. Five Lions tries in 20 minutes evened the game out before the Free State side pulled ahead with a penalty try and try, to take their tally to seven on the day.
“Griquas will come here with the plan of wanting to be direct, the way the Lions were in those 20 minutes of play. So we’ve fixed what can and looked at our weaknesses.”
Sekekete moved to the Cheetahs in 2020 after three seasons at the Lions, one at the Kings and two at Griquas.
“It’s a dream come true. I didn’t think twice about coming to Bloemfontein,” the lock said.
“When you walk into the changerooms, you see the names of legends who’ve played here before, it’s inspiring. It has been a motivation to me and my family, the journey I have been on.”
Griquas to be a tough challenge in Bloemfontein
Cheetahs forwards coach Tiaan Liebenberg also previously played for Griquas. He spoke of the challenge ahead.
“Griquas-Cheetahs has always been a massive game,” Liebenberg said. “They are the in-form team at the moment. They play unbelievable rugby and are well-coached.”
He said the Griquas forwards have been playing together for a while, which makes a difference.
“And they play very direct at the moment, which shows confidence. They are seriously a dominant pack, and they play well together. They are well coached.”
