Cheetahs roll out a 'Plan B'
Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:45
After plenty of rain and thunderstorms have lashed the greater Pretoria region this week, with more predicted for Friday and Saturday, Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské has had a rethink about his team's tactics in the Currie Cup Final against the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Drotské, speaking to rugby365 on the eve of his team's sixth appearance in the Final in seven years, admitted that 'Plan B' may well come into play at Loftus on Saturday.
Weather predictions for Friday is that there is a 95 percent chance of rain and by mid-morning it was "building up heavily" for another thunderstorm.
Saturday's predictions are slightly brighter, with the chances of precipitation put down at only 50 percent.
But with Pretoria, like the rest of the Highveld/Gauteng region, prone to mid- and late-afternoon thunderstorms, there is the very real prospect that it could be a Final played in wet weather.
"We have a pattern that has worked for us and if it is a dry day we will stick to that," Drotské told rugby365.
"That plan is getting all 15 players involved and get the ball into spaces," the Cheetahs coach said, adding: "At the same time, this is a Final and we should not take unnecessary risks and do silly things.
"If it is wet, we will change tact and play a kicking game.
"The one thing we did get right this year is that where in the past we played a predictable pattern, the guys have now shown that we are solid under the high ball and our tactical kicking has improved markedly.
"We are happy that whether it rains or not, we have a 'Plan B'," Drotské said.
The Cheetahs coach said he has avoided getting his team caught up in the hype of the big occasion.
"It is important not to put too much pressure on the players, because pressure can make players do funny things in finals and we have approached this with that in mind - it is a bonus for us to be in the Final.
"Everybody are writing us off and there's no pressure on us, but we are going to Loftus with the sole purpose of winning."
While the Cheetahs have showed, as they did in the semifinal against the Sharks, that they can overcome the odds to knock over fancied teams, Drotské believes this will take a lot of courage and determination.
"It is difficult, the Bulls have a fantastic team," the Cheetahs coach said, adding: "They have four or five guys in their team that are probably the best in their positions in the world.
"It is a tall order, but the guys know that on the day we can beat any team."
By Jan de Koning
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