Sweet last 16 beckons for Cheetahs, but they face daunting away clash

If the Cheetahs sought validation on their return to European competition this season they certainly earned it with the way they progressed to the round of 16 of the Challenge Cup.

Their hard fought 9-6 win over Pau in Parma on Sunday earned them a play-off spot where they will take on European rugby aristocrats Toulon in a little over two months.

They have had to do it the hard way, playing all their matches away from home.

“We were the only team in the competition that had to do that,” reminded head coach Hawies Fourie. “It was a huge challenge.

“We have read a lot about the travel and every body is annoyed about it,” he said about the travel arrangements SA teams have had to fall in line with due to the tournament organisers’ contractual obligations.

“It’s the same for us. It took us 31 hours from our hotel until we got back in Bloemfontein.”

The coach said it wasn't just the moving between point A and B that proved a challenge. His team spent almost nine days in Parma, which would have been far more pleasurable had it been in summer.

“In our time in Parma it was cold and it rained and we couldn’t get out of the hotel except for training. I was worried about the last game. I was aware the guys could develop that worn down, lethargic feeling you get from having to stay in your hotel room.

“Look, we made the best of the opportunity to play in the competition. To have progressed shows the Cheetahs have some kick left in them, We are still good enough to compete at that level.”

That his team earned qualification playing exclusively away from home, tells just half the story. They had to get over the final hurdle without the experienced hands of Frans Steyn, Ruan Pienaar or Oupa Mohoje.

“You know in the back of your mind that Ruan and Frans will stop playing and that the team will have to go on without them. I didn’t think it would be in these games because it was when we needed them most,” said the coach.

While he is thrilled with their win and their qualification, Fourie is well aware his team played well short of their capabilities. He puts it down to the pressure they played under in what was effectively a knockout match.

They kept their composure and sealed the win when flyhalf Siya Masuku nervelessly converted a long range penalty to earn them passage to the competition’s last 16.

“I thanked him for that kick,” said Fourie. “He made a few mistakes with the penalties that he didn’t kick out, but I have forgiven him for that.”

However, playing Toulon, who secured a hat-trick of wins in the Champions Cup between 2013 and 2015 at their Stade Felix Mayol base will be a daunting prospect for the Cheetahs.

Though Toulon have had the habit of contracting some of rugby's instantly recognisable superstars, Fourie is having a little difficulty identifying the current crop.

“We don’t really know the French players, we know the Scarlets players really well because we played against them during the Pro14,” Fourie said.

“But the French players are fairly unknown, Toulon has a few well-known players that play for the France national team, so they could be unavailable due to the Six Nations.

“However, we have to focus on ourselves and have to improve our gameplan. There are loads of places where we can do better,” said the coach.

Apart from Toulon hosting the Cheetahs, the other last 16 matchups in the Challenge Cup will see Racing 92 come to Ellis Park to meet the Lions, Glasgow Warriors will be at home to the Dragons, Cardiff are at home to the Sale Sharks, Clermont Auvergne will visit Bristol Bears, Lyon have a trip to Paris to meet Stade Francais, Benetton will have home advantage against Connacht, while the Scarlets will entertain Brive.

The Challenge Cup round of 16 matches will be played be played between March 31 and April 2.