1 SEP 14:004 NOVEMBER • 16:30

CHEETAHS VS

BLOEMFONTEIN

CheetahsRugby www.facebook.com/CheetahsRugby @CheetahsRugby www.fscheetahs.co.za

CHEETAHSCONTENTS

TOYOTA CHEETAHSEDITORIAL TEAMRonel PienaarKobus le RouxChantelle du Plessis

ADVERTISING AND SUITESWilna Jurack084 854 4492

PHOTOGRAPHYJohan Pretorius

TOYOTA CHEETAHSMARKETING MANAGERKobus le Roux

COPYRIGHTT h e o f f i c i a l C h e e t a h s programme is compiled by Yskoud.com under license from Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd. All registered trademarks remain the property of Cheetahs and are used with Cheetahs permission. The views expressed in this programme are not necessarily those of Yskoud.com or Cheetahs. All right reserved. No part of this programme may be reproduced in any form, without the prior arrangement of the Cheetahs.

Free State Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd Message

Toyota Sponsor’s Message

Free State Rugby Union Message

Guinness PRO14 Welcome Message

Toyota Cheetahs Player Profiles

Toyota Cheetahs vs Munster

Guinness PRO14 Fixtures & Results

Message by the Free State Premier

Rememberance Day

KAARTJIES AANLYN BESKIKBAAR - www.fscheetahs.co.za

You know the rugby has really taken shape when the autumn internationals come into view and you realise that a third of the Guinness PRO14 season is already in the books.Reflecting on the first seven rounds of the Guinness PRO14 it is so encouraging to see how the individual goals of our clubs, their coaches and players, our unions and our broadcasters has created such a thriving Championship.

It has been a really competitive season so far and whether we’re seeing tighter scorelines, surprise results or games that go right down to the final kick, our teams are providing drama and quality in equal measure.

With our new family of broadcasters across the UK, Ireland and Italy fans are now able to watch more Guinness PRO14 than ever before and it’s great that Premier Sports, eir sport and DAZN are making so many games available. Backing them up S4C and TG4 have been busy delivering new production standards that do a great service to the exciting rugby that’s on o�er every week.

Naturally, the pinnacle of the game is the international sphere. Our clubs put in an incredible amount of work to identify the best talent and ensure it goes from the academy to the pitch in the Guinness PRO14. That pipeline of talent that our teams push through to the world game and, indeed, the British & Irish Lions is a huge source of pride for their communities, their unions and

everyone involved in our tournament.

The result for the Guinness PRO14 is a stellar array of sustainable home-grown, world-class talent. Of course, on weekends such as this there is a clash with the club and international fixtures, which in the current season structure, is nigh on impossible to avoid. The reality around the fixture clashes is that revenue from the international game is still a key resource for our unions and their clubs.

Through dual and central contracting it helps ensure the best talent remains in our countries so that they can inspire future generations by playing for their local teams all while ensuring their welfare is properly looked after. Our job is to ensure the Guinness PRO14 is the best tournament for players to play in, so they can fulfil their potential in front of the fans that it means the most to.

For the Guinness PRO14 it means you can see the next generation of talent on show this weekend and the next Jordan Larmour is always ready to emerge and grab the headlines. Larmour was one of 76 newly capped internationals from the Championship last season and congratulations to him on his nomination for World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year.

To be listed alongside South Africa’s Aphiwe Dyantyi and New Zealand’s Karl Tu'inukuafe is a real validation of his performances for Leinster and Ireland – not to mention those cracking tries he scored in the Guinness PRO14 last season.

As for our coaches, weekends like this are when all their pathway planning and strategic nous come into play. Opportunity beckons for the players, but they make for one of the toughest environments for coaches to prepare for and operate in. It should be no surprise that coaches like Joe Schmidt, Rassie Erasmus and Gregor Townsend (and Danny Wilson) have gone on to the Test arena having proven themselves in our Championship. Scarlets’ boss Wayne Pivac will add his name to that list, too, when he becomes Wales head coach after the World Cup.

O� the pitch, I’d like to express our condolences to the Benetton family after the passing of Gilberto who is one of the co-founders of Benetton and alongside the rest of his siblings worked so hard to make Treviso a hub of sports activity. I’ve said before how impressive Benetton Rugby’s recent improvements have been and I trust Kieran Crowley’s team will have added inspiration to top last season’s achievements and, perhaps, reach the knock-out stages for the first time.

As for Round 8, an intriguing weekend of fixtures await. Can Edinburgh get back on form against Scarlets? Will Ospreys’ young guns keep up their form against Ospreys? How will Leinster and Munster fare on their visits to South Africa, can Dragons or Zebre sneak a win away from home and can Benetton see o� the challenge of a rejuvenated Ulster?

The Guinness PRO14 trophy is the prize every team is fighting for and you can see the champions crowned in Glasgow on May 25 in Celtic Park as the Final takes place outside of a rugby venue for the very first time. To get access to the best o�ers check our o�cial accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or just visit bit.ly/glasgow2019 to get your tickets.

Enjoy the game,

Martin AnayiChief Executive O�cer

Welcome to today’s Currie Cup match at the Toyota Stadium.

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs have a very proud, rich and successful history in the oldest domestic rugby competition in the world.

During the Super Sport Rugby Challenge, Daan Human and his technical staff did some remarkable work to lead the Toyota Free State XV all the way to the semi-finals of the competition, and in the process unearthed some promising talent. This has given Franco Smith a fantastic platform to launch the Currie Cup campaign and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs will no doubt hit the ground running.

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs welcome many new players to their ranks, and this brings a good mix of experience, youth and flair.

To Franco Smith, the rest of the coaching staff and the team, we stand alongside you and look forward to writing the next chapter of proudly Toyota Free State Cheetahs rugby with you. We know that the “never say die” attitude will be on display again this season and that you and the players will make everyone proud.

We look forward to the Currie Cup Com-petition and will continue to show the support we have provided over the past few years as not only a sponsor, but as a

proud partner of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.

To the opposition – welcome to Toyota Stadium. The talking will be done on the field and will certainly prove to be tough, thrilling and remind rugby lovers why they love the game so much.

Lastly, and most importantly, to the loyal fans who come out and support the boys, no matter what, thank you for the unwav-ering support you show the Toyota Free State Cheetahs. You are what it is all about and it is you that the players want to make proud. Thank you again for supporting our boys!

Enjoy the match.

Andrew KirbyPresident and CEO of Toyota South Africa

TOYOTA SPONSOR’S MESSAGE

FREE STATE CHEETAHS (PTY) LTD MESSAGECHEETAHS

I would like to convey my sincere appreciation and gratitude to all the Cheetah supporters, sponsors, season tickets- and suite holders, and our partner SuperSport and everyone who stood by us through tough times.

I would like to give some perspective on circumstances under which Free State Rugby had to build and survive over the years and therefore we value and need all our supporters and friends.

Top 10 Rugby was introduced in the 1990’s with teams from South Africa, New Zeeland and Australia. The top 3 Currie Cup teams participated in the competition, which included the Free State.

Later on the competition expanded with the inclusion of a fourth South African team. The Free State was a powerful entity in those years. In 1998 the Lions didn’t finish under the top 4 Currie Cup teams and after negotiations with the ‘smaller’ Unions, regional teams were introduced. The Lions, Cheetahs, Griffons and Griquas played together as the Cats. This was devastating for the Free State and 18 players left us in the first year. Luckily our partner SuperSport came to our rescue.

The announcement of Super 14 in 2006 offered a bright future for the Central Cheetahs and we managed to secure great sponsors and to build Free State Rugby. The partnership with Griquas and Griffons was challenging and each entity wanted to act in his own best interest.

In 2016 the competition was expanded to 18 teams and the Toyota Cheetahs was awarded their own franchise.

During this period the Cheetahs won the Currie Cup three times and shared it once. More than can be said of most teams. A five year business plan with great prospects was implemented but unfortunately SANZAAR decided to cut the competition back to 15 teams and the Toyota Cheetahs was eliminated.

The Toyota Cheetahs challenged SARU and after hard negotiations a settlement was reached. The Toyota Cheetahs took the initiative to join PRO14 and were given the opportunity to play rugby on a highly professional level.

Free State is the only province in South Africa who has to participate simultaneously in the Currie Cup Premier Division and Guinness PRO14. We realised that this is not viable, but we didn’t have a choice. Currie Cup is simply too important for us. SARU is incisively looking at next year’s competitions and hopefully it will not overlap again next year.

Free State Rugby Management, staff, players and coaches went through a very tough phase during the last two years. Players, who were offered more money from other unions and overseas clubs, forced us to put a new strategy in place.

We are working hard and are convinced that we will again be a champion team in Currie Cup and Guinness PRO14.

It is an honour and a privilege to work for the Toyota Cheetahs and to build this company further.

HAROLD VERSTERMANAGING DIRECTOR

SHAUN VENTER

FREE STATE RUGBY UNION MESSAGE

It is a privilege for me as President of the Free State Rugby Union to welcome everyone at this afternoon’s Guinness PRO14 in Toyota Stadium.

I would like to extend a warm word of welcome to our opponents, Munster from Limerick in Ireland. We hope that you’ve enjoyed the hospitality in the City of Roses. Today, Free State Rugby is honouring and saluting the Armed Forces in commemoration of Remembrance Day on the 11th of November. We will be paying tribute to the memory of all officials who have passed away in the call of duty and hope that you will appreciate the displays by the Armed Forces in Toyota Stadium today.

The support of our loyal season ticket holders, suite holders and fans encourages the team and motivates

them to reach bigger heights. It’s great to see the level of passion and commitment of fans who live and breathe every kick, every hit, every call and every try.

May you all enjoy this day and especially the camaraderie of rugby friends.

Your Sincerely

Jerry Segwaba President

CHEETAHS

PRO 14 Match: Toyota Cheetahs vs Munster

4 November 2018

On behalf of the Free State Provincial Government, I would like to thank the Free State Rugby Union for this important Rugby Match taking place at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein between our local team, the Free State Cheetahs, and Munster, from the Republic of Ireland. It is a great honour for the Free State to be the host to this beautiful game.

I have no doubt that this spectacular Match will be well received, and will turn out to be e spectacular event. The people of the Free State, as well as South Africans in general, are greatly passionate about sport, and Rugby is one of the popular sporting codes which is very close to the hearts of our people.

This year, 2018, we celebrate the centenaries of two outstanding icons of our struggle for freedom and democracy, Tata Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu, who would have turned 100 years old this years, were they alive. It is therefore befitting that, in their honour, we use sport as one of the tools to unite all of us,

irrespective of our diverse backgrounds.

I would like to urge all the people of the Free State, as well as the public servants in our Provincial Government and municipalities, to go out in their numbers and support this beautiful game. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all our guests, from other parts of the country and elsewhere in the world, to relax and feel at home in our province. May we enjoy the games and unite in our diversity.

S.H. Ntombela

MESSAGE BY FREE STATE PREMIER

RHYNO SMITH

Remembrance Day (sometimes known informally as Poppy Day) is a memori-al day observed in Commonwealth of Nations member states since the end of the First World War to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. Following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919, the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries.

Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month", in accor-dance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. ("At the 11th hour" refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.)

The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields" written by Canadi-an physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. After reading the poem, Moina Michael, a professor at the University of Georgia, wrote the

poem, "We Shall Keep the Faith," and swore to wear a red poppy on the anniversary. The custom spread to Europe and the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth within three years. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I; their brilliant red colour became a symbol for the blood spilled in the war.

In South Africa, Remembrance Day is not a public holiday. Commemoration ceremonies are usually held on the nearest Sunday, at which the "Last Post" is played by a bugler followed by the observation of a two-minute silence. Ceremonies to mark the event in South Africa are held at the Ceno-taph in Cape Town, and in Pretoria at the Voortrekker Monument cenotaph and the War Memorial at the Union Buildings. Many high schools hold Remembrance Day services to honour the past pupils who died in the two World Wars and the Border war. In addition, the South African Legion of Military Veterans holds a street collec-tion on the nearest Saturday to gather funds to assist in welfare work among military veterans.

WHAT IS REMEMBERANCE DAY?

HONOURING AND SOLUTING

THE ARMED FOURCES

On Sunday, 4 November, Free State Rugby is honouring and saluting the Armed Forces in commemoration of Remembrance Day on the 11th of November.

A procession by the SANDF, SAPS, Air Force, Traffic Department, Fire Department and Rescue Unit, which includes the SAPS Diving Unit, Dog Unit and Mounted Unit, will be lead around Toyota Stadium from 13:45 to 14:00. All vehicles participating in the parade, as well as a SANDF helicopter will be on display on the hockey pitch behind the main stand inside Toyota Stadium.

The SANDF Band will be providing entertainment at the match and the SAPD Dog Unit will do a demonstration during half time.

TOYOTA CHEETAHS PLAYER PROFILESCHEETAHS

1PROP105 kg1.75 m 29 caps

1

OX NCHE JOSEPH DWEBA

HOOKER108kg1.75 m8 caps

2 1

ARANOS COETZEE

PROP120 kg1.86 m29 caps

3

1

WALT STEENKAMP

LOCK121 kg2.03 m7 caps

4 1

JP DU PREEZ

LOCK115 kg2.09 m7 caps

5 1

GERHARD OLIVIER

FLANK105 kg1.89 m7 caps

6

1

JUNIOR POKOMELA

FLANK105 kg1.87 m18 caps

7 1

AIDON DAVIS

NO. 8100 kg1.90 m3 caps

8 1

SHAUN VENTER (c)

SCRUMHALF88 kg1.84 m23 caps

9

1

TIAN SCHOEMAN

FLYHALF89 kg1.82 m7 caps

10 1

RABZ MAXWANE

WING83 kg1.81 m15 caps

11 1

NICO LEE

CENTRE93 kg1.80 m20 caps

12

TOYOTA CHEETAHS PLAYER PROFILESCHEETAHS

1

BENHARD JANSE VAN RENSBURG

CENTRE88 kg1.85 m7 caps

13 1

WILLIAM SMALL-SMITH

WING94 kg1.84 m22 caps

14 1

RHYNO SMITH

FULLBACK81 kg1.73 m1 cap

15

1RESERVE118 kg1.77 m1 cap

16 1RESERVE120 kg1.91 m27 caps

17 1RESERVE118 kg1.87 m4 caps

18

REINACH VENTER CHARLES MARAIS ERICH DE JAGER

1

SINTU MANJEZI

RESERVE109 kg1.97 m1 cap

19 1

DANIEL MAARTENS

RESERVE92 kg1.80 m4 caps

20 1

ABONGILE NONKONTWANA

RESERVE108 kg1.94 m2 caps

21

1

LOUIS FOUCHE

RESERVE98 kg1.89 m4 caps

231

TIAN MEYER

RESERVE84 kg1.77 m22 caps

22

Ox NcheJoseph Dweba

Aranos CoetzeeWalt Steenkamp

JP du PreezGerhard Olivier

Junior PokomelaAidon Davis

Shaun Venter (c)Tian SchoemanRabz Maxwane

Nico LeeBenhard Janse van Rensburg

William Small-SmithRhyno Smith

Reinach VenterCharles MaraisErich de Jager

Sintu Manjezi / Justin Basson

Daniel MaartensAbongile Nonkontwana

Tian MeyerLouis Fouche

Franco SmithAshwell Rafferty

James CroninKevin O’ByrneStephen ArcherJean KleynDarren O’SheaFineen WycherleyChris CloeteArno BothaAlby MathewsonBill JohnstonAlex WoottonTyler Bleyendaal (c)Sammy ArnoldShane DalyMike Haley

Mike SherryJeremy LoughmanJohn RyanSean O’ConnorGavin CoombesDuncan WilliamsIan KeatleyRory Scannell

Johann van GraanNiall O’Donovan

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CoachManager

Referee: Marius MitreaAssistant Referees: Cwengile Jadezweni, Ruhan Meiring

TMO: Shaun Veldsman

CheetahsRugby www.facebook.com/CheetahsRugby @CheetahsRugby www.fscheetahs.co.za

CHEETAHS

TOYOTA STADIUM

NEXTMATCH

CHEETAHSVS

SAT•24 NOV14:30

OX NCHE

CHEETAHS

FIXTURES

HOME *Fixtures and kick-off times are subject to change

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LTS

SAT, 1 SEP Munster vs Toyota Cheetahs 38-0

SAT, 8 SEP Ospreys vs Toyota Cheetahs 46-14

SAT, 15 SEP Toyota Cheetahs vs Glasgow 24-52

FRI, 21 SEP Toyota Cheetahs vs Ulster 39-39

FRI, 28 SEP Cardiff vs Toyota Cheetahs 24-21

FRI, 5 OCT Edinburgh vs Toyota Cheetahs 37-21

SAT, 27 OCT Toyota Cheetahs vs Cardiff 21-10

SUN, 4 NOV Toyota Cheetahs vs Munster 16:45

SAT, 24 NOV Toyota Cheetahs vs Benetton 14:30

SAT, 1 DEC Toyota Cheetahs vs Connacht 17:00

HOME GAME

SUN, 6 JAN Zebre vs Toyota Cheetahs 15:00

SAT, 19 JAN Kings vs Toyota Cheetahs TBC

SAT, 26 JAN Toyota Cheetahs vs Zebre 15:00

SAT, 2 FEB Toyota Cheetahs vs Kings 16:00

SAT, 16 FEB Connacht vs Toyota Cheetahs 19:30

SUN, 24 FEB Scarlets vs Toyota Cheetahs TBC

FRI, 1 MAR Leinster vs Toyota Cheetahs 21:35

SAT, 23 MAR Glasgow vs Toyota Cheetahs TBC

SAT, 6 APR Toyota Cheetahs vs Ospreys TBC

SAT, 13 APR Toyota Cheetahs vs Dragons TBC

SAT, 27 APR Toyota Cheethas vs Kings TBC