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Confirmed - Cheetahs coach will move to Premiership at end of season

By Online Editors

08 Feb 2018

The Cheetahs (Getty Images)

The Toyota Cheetahs have confirmed that Head Coach Rory Duncan will be leaving the Toyota Cheetahs with the completion of the Guinness Pro14 championship in May 2018. Rory will be joining Worcester Warriors in the UK.

Having won the Currie Cup as captain of the 2007 Free State Cheetahs team and serving as not only Director of Rugby but also as head coach of the Currie Cup and Guinness Pro14 side, Rory Duncan has been an vital part of the Toyota Cheetahs over last 4 years. He has made a lasting impact not only on the filed but also in the boardroom. During his tenure as Director of Rugby Rory played an integral part in opening the doors for the Toyota Cheetahs in the northern hemisphere and has gone on to coach the team to eight victories thus far in the 2017/2018 Guinness Pro 14.

“We have great appreciation for what Rory has done for Free State Rugby over the last four years and we wish him well,” said Harold Verster, Manging Director of the Free State Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd.

Free State Rugby thank Rory for his commitment and dedication during his time at the Toyota Cheetahs and is proud to send yet another product of the Toyota Cheetah into the rugby world and wish him well on his future endeavours. Just as Rassie Erasmus and Niel Powell, Rory is also another great example that Free State Rugby is truly a breeding ground of opportunity.

Franco Smith coach Toyota Cheetahs again

Franco Smith has decided to return full time to the Toyota Cheetahs and not to accept an offer to remain on the Springbok coaching staff.

He will be staying on as Director of Rugby and Head Coach of the Toyota Cheetahs for the next two seasons. Smith will be replacing Rory Duncan who will be leaving for Worcester Warriors after the 2017/2018 Guinness PRO14 campaign.

“Free State Rugby had long interviews and discussions about the situation and the process was completed in good spirit,” said Harold Verster, Managing Director of the Free State Cheetahs (Pty) Ltd. “Free State Rugby is excited and thankful that Franco made the decision to stay. His rugby expertise and coaching ability is invaluable to the Toyota Cheetahs.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

TT 10 minutes ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,

Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.

The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,

{starting} bench (3rd choice)

1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi  (Williams)

2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)

Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!

3 {Lomax}/ Tosi  (Newell )

Tosi immense strength V England  

4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry

( Isaia Walker-Leawere)

Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)

6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi  )

9 {Roigard }  Ratima  ( TJ )

10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)  

12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )

13 {Proctor} Ioane  ( AJ Lam )

 Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)

14 { Tele’a} Reece  (bkup W.Jordan )

11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)

15 {W.Jordan} Love  (Stevenson)

26 Go to comments

johnz 28 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.

Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.

11 Go to comments

ColinK 28 minutes ago

Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

Whatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.

1 Go to comments

johnz 35 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

Ratima did look rattled, compared to Roigard who looked like a boss when he came on. But that's been Roigard in test rugby so far. Ratima is only really starting because of Roigard's injury, otherwise surely Roigard was the incumbent. So it's not just one outing of the pine, that just points to Roigard being ready to have a start. As good as Ratima has been, Roigard just offers more.

11 Go to comments

GL 1 hour ago

How surprise opportunities led Harry Plummer to debut for All Blacks

Cody Taylor is a more significant loss than BB, not even close!

1 Go to comments

JD 1 hour ago

'I never heard from Gatland... It kills me to this day'

Won't see a player like him nor, hopefully, an arsehole like him either. Odious kant.

22 Go to comments

CO 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I agree largely and I rate McKenzie as a wonderful utility at his best but now at twenty nine I wouldn't take him to the next world cup. I've never seen him as a a ten or a starter either at top tier test level. The bench needs a serious rethink with ideally a hybrid halfback/wing or a hybrid halfback/ten or a hybrid ten/centre to release that need for two relatively small guys on the bench.

32 Go to comments

RW 2 hours ago

“He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation

Starting a go fund me for Bundee to Leinster 😜

3 Go to comments

CO 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Unbelievable, the penalty count was so lopsided in last week's first half I'm certain the conspiracy theorists have already had a field day.

26 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Good idea, but to move a lock to 6 now with no previous experience save Scott Barrett (who is still our best lock) ahead of the 2nd best equal team in the world may cause more harm than good in terms of confidence, in both caoches and players.

Re lineout options, the ABs have the most innovative lineout in the world, with FOUR lineout options (Barrett, Vaai, Sititi, Savea), compared to Irelands maybe 2 (Beirne and Ryan). ABs will absolutely cause issues at the lineout, and definitely at scrum time. Those Irish props eat to much salad compared to our boys 💪

26 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I never said boring was bad, but it doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with the ABs style. The ABs 10 looks like this: a little magic, good offloads, tactical precision kicking, draw and pass, and a cool head to level it off.

A game manager isn't exactly necessary, as the ABs should all know what they are doing, and the 9 should be directing the forwards. However, considering the youth of our best 9s currently, a more vocal, directive, and logical player like Harry Plummer would make more sense than someone like DMac, who is in his own right a good 10, but tends to sit in wider channels where he can threaten the line more directly, so has less influence on the postioning of the narrower forwards.

32 Go to comments

Kia koe 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Yep yep I agree

26 Go to comments

Icefarrow 2 hours ago

The ‘unsung hero’ who helped All Blacks’ bench make a telling difference

B-but all the armchair critics tell me he's useless and does little for the team but get penalised... This simply cannot be!

2 Go to comments

Thomas K 2 hours ago

England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

So you think you’d definitely have scored way more tries if it wasn’t for all the off the ball shots? 🤣🤣

8 Go to comments

MakeOllieMathisAnAB 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

I think we need to get innovative with the new laws.

Now red cards are only 20 minutes, Razor should send Finau on a head hunting mission to hospitalise their 10 with a shoulder to the chops.

Give the conspiracy theorists a win.

26 Go to comments

SK 2 hours ago

England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit

England played well enough to win but couldnt score when they needed to and couldnt defend a couple of X-Factor moments from Telea which was ultimately the difference. They needed to hold the ball more and make the AB's make more tackles. Territorially they were good for the first 60. Defending their lead and playing pragmatic rugby in the last 20 was silly. The AB's always had the potential to come back. England still have a long way to go, definite progress would have been shown had they won but it seems they are still stuck where they were shortly after the six nations and their tour to NZ

10 Go to comments

MakeOllieMathisAnAB 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Good back row… If Ethan can stay injury free for more than 20 minutes.

Someone once theorised that Ethan always gets injured because he bulked up and isn’t playing at a natural weight.

I’d really like to know if there’s science behind that theory.

Or maybe he’s was just taking a dump when the good lord was handing out the good luck.

26 Go to comments

CO 2 hours ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Agreed, I'm getting sick of poor field position that's been created with little dink kicks, etc. Need to go back to really working hard to be inside the opposition half.

32 Go to comments

CO 3 hours ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Boring can be good, need guys like that. Cam Smith for the Melbourne storm springs to mind. I know it's a different sport but pivots with the knack to setup and strategize can be highly effective combined with lethal finishers and line breakers.

32 Go to comments

SC 3 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

And who covers fly half if Damain gets injured with your 6-2 bench?

26 Go to comments

LONG READ

LONG READ “He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation “He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation

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