Sunday, 23rd September 2007 at 2:32 pm

Cheetahs shocked in Cape Town

A little earlier in the season, Vodacom Western Province looked dead and buried, playing listless rugby and generally looking appalling. But under Gary Gold they’re a much changed outfit; throw in the influence of Rassie Erasmus, and a few key positional shifts, and suddenly there’s an outside chance that Cape Town fans might just see the Absa Currie Cup semifinals.

A loss to the Bulls a week ago suggested that wouldn’t be the case; Saturday’s upset of the Cheetahs, though, underlined the shred of hope rediscovered at Newlands. The Cheetahs have played some breathtaking rugby this season, Naka Drotske taking over from Rassie seamlessly, and were unbeaten going into the Province game, which made the home win one of the results of the season.

Will Province make the last four, and possibly go further? Free State will remain favourites, but Province are suddenly dark horses; more importantly, with Peter Grant directing traffic from ten, Erasmus waiting to formally take over, and a host of young players finding their feet under Gold, the 2008 Super 14 might not be the disaster it was shaping up for just a couple of months ago. Feverpitcher is pleasantly suprised.