Silver lining for Cheetahs
Free State Rugby confirmed that Botha and Blommetjies will be leaving the Cheetahs after the Pro14 season. Botha will be joining Ospreys and Blommetjies, Scarlets in Wales for the 2018/19 Pro14 season.
🔊 Free State Rugby has confirmed that @TomBotha3 and @CBlommetjies will be leaving @CheetahsRugby after the @PRO14Official season. Botha will be joining @ospreys and Blommetjies will join @scarlets_rugby in Wales for the 2018/19 Guinness PRO14 season. pic.twitter.com/3ZqbeiwIZY
— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) April 9, 2018
However, tighthead prop Johan 'Aranos' Coetzee has committed his future to the Bloemfontein side for another two years, despite several offers from overseas rugby clubs
"Aranos is a player that I rate highly," said Daan Human, Cheetahs scrum coach. "He is one of the hardest working players in the team and has an unbelievable work rate. If you look at the amount of tackles he makes and work on the field, I rate him far above the average tighthead in South Africa."
Coetzee was born in Windhoek and attended High Agricultural School Boland in Paarl. He made his test debut for Namibia on June 6, 2015 in their 2015 Africa Cup match against Tunisia in Nabeul.
Aranos represented the Leopards Under-21s (2008 and 2009), and he played Varsity Cup rugby for NWU-Pukke (2010). He made his first-class debut for the Leopards in 2010. After 2010 he moved to France, where he joined Top 14 side Racing Métro (2010-2012) before moving to Brive (2012-2015).
Coetzee returned to South Africa to join the Free State Cheetahs for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, but he missed the tournament through his involvement with Namibia at the 2015 World Cup where he played in four matches.
He made his Currie Cup debut for the Free State Cheetahs in 2016 against Western Province and played in the semifinal against the Lions in Bloemfontein and in the home Final against the Blue Bulls. (2016 Currie Cup Champions).
Coetzee was named the Cheetahs' Super Rugby Player of the Year for 2017 and represented the Cheetahs in 51 matches so far.
