The Toyota Free State Cheetahs have received a welcome boost ahead of the 2015 Currie Cup season which kicks off in just over five weeks from now, with the news that former flyhalf Sias Ebersohn is on his way back to the team from Perth.
The player has been playing his rugby at the Western Force the past few seasons where he has earned no less than 43 caps for the franchise.
During his time in the west of Australia, the player who often came under heavy criticism during his previous tenure at the Cheetahs, has excelled in the role and was heavily instrumental in the side’s 2014 campaign which saw them finish 8th in the standings, their best finish to date.
During that particular campaign, Ebersohn notched up 117 points for Michael Foley’s side.
As is the case with the rest of coach Franco Smith’s wider training group, Ebersohn will have to earn his place in the team with no guarantees for any player as this falls in the mentor’s philosophy of building a good team, not good players.
Having played 43 Super Rugby games for the Force, along with this 31 for the Cheetahs and 52 Currie Cup appearances, this will bring the young squad much needed experience.
Smith told Courant that the important thing is that Ebersohn wants to return home.
"He wants to come and play here and that’s important. If a player wants to come and play for the Cheetahs, it means that he wants to contribute." Smith added that the player can add a lot to the team upon his return.
"I can see that he is a good quality player, he was a quality player even before he went to the Force, but there is a sense of maturity.
"He’s obviously more experienced with at least 43 Super Rugby games for the Force…that is experience that you can’t buy."
The 26-year-old will in all likeliness only link up with the team in mid-August, but is a welcome addition after last week’s news that Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen is heading to the Sharks on a four-year contract.
Oosthuizen told Courant that he is excited about playing for the Sharks and he feels it’s the right move.
"I’m very excited to be going to the Sharks. It’s a new prospect, new opportunity and new challenge for the upcoming year.
"It’s a new stepping stone, I think in your career you need to step on stones to get to the next level where you want to be and for me playing for the Sharks team is that next level.
The Springbok management has meanwhile confirmed that Oosthuizen has a slim chance of making the World Cup squad for the tournament in England in September and October.
Surgery to his neck has ruled him out of next week’s match against the World XV, the Rugby Championship and additional test against Argentina.
The Springboks face the World XV at Newlands in Cape Town at 17:00 next Saturday, while the Free State Cheetahs will kick off their Currie Cup campaign against the Blue Bulls at the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein on 8 August 2015.
