The Toyota Cheetahs has boosted their ranks further for next year with the signing four props who are predominantly tightheads.
Last week the franchise secured the services of Ox Nche, Charles Marais, BG Uys and Danie Mienie for at least 2017.
The Cheetahs this week extended the contracts of Luan de Bruin and the Namibian international, Aranos Coetzee. Both have played in the Super Rugby this season, however, mostly off the bench as back up to Maks van Dyk.
The side also contracted the up and coming Central University of Technology Ixias prop Günther Janse van Vuuren. The 120kg colossus represented Hoërskool Momument at school and played also played for the Golden Lions in the U18 Craven Week.
In an interesting move, the side has also scooped up the Southern Kings prop, Tom Botha.
Botha has represented Western Province on 17 occasions and had a stint in France at Montpellier who won the European Challenge Cup when the beat the English outfit Harlequins on 13 May under the guidance of former World Cup winning Springbok coach, Jake White.
Botha however never played in a match for the French Top 14 Club.
The Cheetahs Director of Rugby, Rory Duncan, told Courant that with tighthead prop being a key position is was important to sign them early.
“What we did this year was sign up our props nice and early and obviously tighthead is a key position for us and are very fortunate to have signed Tom Botha, Luan de Bruin, Coetzee and Günther Janse van Vuuren, who is one our youngster that is coming through in the system.
“We’re pretty happy to be in the position we are in already having signed eight props for next season.
While the Kings have been battling in the Super Rugby season, one of the areas where they have had reasonable success is the in the scrummaging department and Duncan says the former Paarl Boys’ High front-rower, Botha, has need a key member of the Kings tight five.
“Tom certainly made a name for himself in this Super Rugby campaign. The Kings have obviously had a tough road in the 2016 Super Rugby, but one of the areas that have performed relatively well in is in their scrum.
“Tom has been one of the key guys that has stabilised their scrum and given them the go forward ball.
More signings are expected to be made soon, however at this stage nothing can be confirmed yet. – MORGAN PIEK
