View source for Free State Cheetahs

{{Short description|South African rugby union team}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use South African English|date=June 2015}}
{{distinguish|Cheetahs (rugby union)}}
{{Infobox rugby team
| teamname       = Free State Cheetahs
| image          = Free_State_Cheetahs_logo.svg
| imagesize      = 270px
| fullname       = Free State Cheetahs
| union          = Free State Rugby Union
| region         = [[Free State (South African province)|Free State]], [[South Africa]]
| countryflag    = South Africa
| emblem         = [[Cheetah]]
| colours        = White & Orange
| founded        = 1895; 125 years ago
| rugby director = 
| chairman       = 
| coach          = [[Frans Steyn]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=SA Cup Coaches {{!}} Toyota Cheetahs |url=https://www.fscheetahs.co.za/coaches |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=www.fscheetahs.co.za}}</ref>
| captain        = [[Victor Sekekete]]
| sport          = [[Rugby union]]
| league         = [[Currie Cup]]
| season         = [[2024 Currie Cup Premier Division|2024]]
| position       = Semi-finalist <br/> 4th on log
| ground         = [[Free State Stadium]]
| capacity       = 48,000
| url            = www.fscheetahs.co.za
| pattern_la1    = _Freestateleft16
| pattern_b1     = _Freestate16kit
| pattern_ra1    = _Freestateright16
| pattern_sh1    = 
| pattern_so1    = _Freestatesocks15
| leftarm1       = 
| body1          = 
| rightarm1      = 
| shorts1        = 000000
| socks1         = 
| pattern_la2    = _Freestateleft16b
| pattern_b2     = _Freestatekit16b
| pattern_ra2    = _Freestateright16b
| pattern_sh2    = 
| pattern_so2    = _Freestatesocks15
| leftarm2       = 
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| current        = 2024 Currie Cup Premier Division
}}
The '''Free State Cheetahs''' ({{langx|af|Vrystaat Jagluiperds}}), formerly known as '''Orange Free State''' ({{langx|af|Oranje Vrystaat}}), currently named the '''[[Toyota]] Free State Cheetahs''' due to sponsorship reasons, are a [[South Africa]]n [[rugby union]] team that participates in the annual [[Currie Cup]] [[tournament]]. They are governed by the Free State Rugby Union and are based at the 48,000 capacity [[Free State Stadium]] in [[Bloemfontein]]. The Cheetahs have won the Currie Cup six times, with five of the wins coming since 2005, including winning the cup three times consecutively from 2005 to 2007. Since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, they have been considered one of South Africa's "Big 5" provincial rugby Unions.

The Cheetahs are a very well supported team across the Free State as well having large fan bases in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} They are also known as the darlings of South African rugby, with many other South African rugby fans adopting them as their second team especially when they take on any of the other "Big 5" teams.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} The Cheetahs average home crowds of approximately 17,000 in the Currie Cup when they play at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} Their biggest rivals are traditionally Western Province. However, in recent times the Blue Bulls have also become fierce rivals of the Cheetahs.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

==History==

The Orange Free State Rugby Union was established in 1895, but did not make it to their first [[Currie Cup]] final appearance until 1973, when they lost to Northern Transvaal 30–22 at [[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]]. Just two seasons later, the Orange Free State met Northern Transvaal again in the Currie Cup final, losing 12–6 at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. The following season, Orange Free State met the Western Province in the final, defeating them 33–16 in Bloemfontein, claiming their first Currie Cup championship. The next season, Orange Free State met Northern Transvaal in the Currie Cup final again, though Northern Transvaal defeated them 27–12 in Pretoria. For the fourth successive time, Orange Free State were in the final again, and again with Northern Transvaal, who defeated them 13–9.

They met Northern Transvaal in the 1981 season final. Northern Transvaal won 23–16. The Orange Free State/Free State Cheetahs made two final appearances in the 1990s, being runners-up to Transvaal and the Western Province in 1994 and 1997 respectively. In 2004, they were runners-up to the Blue Bulls in the final. However, the following season, the Free State defeated them in the final, 29 points to 25. The Free State finished at the top of the table of the [[2006 Currie Cup|2006 season]], and defeated the Sharks in their home semi to advance to their third final in as many years. The Cheetahs hosted the final, which ended in a 28-all draw after 20 minutes of extra-time.

In the 2007 season, the FS Cheetahs continued their great form, winning 13 of the 14 games before the finals. After beating the Blue Bulls in the semis at home, they won the Currie Cup for a third consecutive time by coming from behind to beat the [[Golden Lions]] by 20–18 in the final.

In the 2016 season, they emerged undefeated in the Currie Cup, and beat the Blue Bulls in the final 36 – 16.

==Currie Cup finals==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Season
!Winners
!Score
!Runner-up
!Venue
|-
|1973
|[[Blue Bulls|Northern Transvaal]]
|30–22
|Orange Free State
|[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|-
|1975
|[[Blue Bulls|Northern Transvaal]]
|12–6
|Orange Free State
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|1976
||Orange Free State
|33–16
|[[Western Province (rugby)|Western Province]]
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|1977
|[[Blue Bulls|Northern Transvaal]]
|27–12
|Orange Free State
|[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|-
|1978
|[[Blue Bulls|Northern Transvaal]]
|13–9
|Orange Free State
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|1981
|[[Blue Bulls|Northern Transvaal]]
|23–6
|Orange Free State
|[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|-
|1994
|[[Golden Lions|Transvaal]]<sup>1</sup>
|56–35
|Orange Free State
|[[Springbok Park]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|1997
|[[Western Province (rugby)|Western Province]]
|14–12
|Free State Cheetahs<sup>2</sup>
|[[Newlands Stadium|Newlands]], [[Cape Town]]
|-
|2004
|[[Blue Bulls]]<sup>3</sup>
|42–33
|Free State Cheetahs
|[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|-
|2005
|Free State Cheetahs
|29–25
|[[Blue Bulls]]
|[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|-
|2006
|Free State Cheetahs
|28–28<sup>4</sup>
|[[Blue Bulls]]
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|[[2007 Currie Cup|2007]]
|Free State Cheetahs
|20–18
|[[Golden Lions]]<sup>1</sup>
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|[[2009 Currie Cup|2009]]
|[[Blue Bulls]]
|36–24
|Free State Cheetahs
|[[Loftus Versfeld Stadium|Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|-
|[[2016 Currie Cup|2016]]
|Free State Cheetahs
|36–16
|[[Blue Bulls]]
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|[[2019 Currie Cup Premier Division|2019]]
|Free State Cheetahs
|31–28
|[[Golden Lions]] 
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]] 
|-
|[[2023 Currie Cup Premier Division|2023]]
|Free State Cheetahs
|25–17
|[[Pumas (Currie Cup)|Pumas]] 
|[[Free State Stadium]], [[Bloemfontein]] 
|}

{{refbegin}}
<sup>1</sup> Transvaal are now known as the Golden Lions.<br />
<sup>2</sup> Orange Free State were renamed the Free State Cheetahs.<br />
<sup>3</sup> Northern Transvaal were renamed the Blue Bulls.<br />
<sup>4</sup> Game was a draw after 80+20minutes, thus the cup was shared.<br />
{{refend}}

==Vodacom Cup finals==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Season
!Winners
!Score
!Runner-up
!Venue
|-
|2000
|Free State
|44–24
|{{Rut|Griquas}}
| [[Vodacom Park]], [[Bloemfontein]]
|-
|2008
||[[Blue Bulls]]
|25–21
|Free State
|[[Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|-
|2010
|[[Blue Bulls]]
|31–29
|Free State
|[[Loftus Versfeld]], [[Pretoria]]
|}

==Bankfin Nite Series finals==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Season
!Winners
!Score
!Runner-up
!Venue
|-
|[[Bankfin Nite Series|1996]]
|Free State
|46–34
|{{Rut|Border}}
|[[Bloemfontein]]
|}

==Current squad==
The following players were included in the Free State Cheetahs squad for the [[2023 Currie Cup Premier Division]]:<ref name="Currie Cup Players">{{cite web|title=Currie Cup Players|url=http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/players|access-date=13 March 2023|publisher=Free State Cheetahs}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; width:70%"
|-
!colspan="100%"| Free State Cheetahs Currie Cup squad
|- valign="top"
|
'''Props'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Dolph Botha]]
* {{Flagicon|Namibia}} '''[[Aranos Coetzee]]'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Marné Coetzee]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Schalk Ferreira]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Wayrin Losper]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Boeta Loubser]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Nqoba Mxoli]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Kevin Stevens (rugby union)|Kevin Stevens]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Alulutho Tshakweni]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Conraad van Vuuren]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Hencus van Wyk]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Lawrence Victor]]

'''Hookers'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Jacques Goosen]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Marko Janse van Rensburg]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Marnus van der Merwe]]
* {{Flagicon|Namibia}} '''[[Louis van der Westhuizen (rugby union)|Louis van der Westhuizen]]'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Janus Venter]]

'''Locks'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Rynier Bernardo]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Jean Droste]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Ruan Janse van Rensburg]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Sibabalo Qoma]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Victor Sekekete]] ([[Captain (sports)|c]])
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Johnre Stopforth]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Mzwanele Zito]]

||

'''Loose forwards'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[George Cronjé]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Dian Koen]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Daniel Maartens]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} Thabang Mahlasi
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} '''[[Oupa Mohojé]]'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Andisa Ntsila]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Friedle Olivier]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Jeandré Rudolph]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Paul Schoeman]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Roelof Smit (rugby union)|Roelof Smit]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Gideon van der Merwe]]

'''Scrum-halves''' 
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Zenedine Booysen]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Branden de Kock]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Rewan Kruger]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} Juan-Dee Olivier


'''Fly-halves'''
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} '''[[Reinhardt Fortuin]]'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[George Lourens]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Siya Masuku]]

||

'''Centres'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Evardi Boshoff]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[David Brits]]

'''Wingers'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Enver Brandt]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Thoubaan Gabriels]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Xolisa Guma]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Munier Hartzenberg]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Daniel Kasende]]
* {{Flagicon|Zimbabwe}} '''[[Tapiwa Mafura]]'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Marcell Muller]]

'''Fullbacks'''
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Cohen Jasper]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Andell Loubser]]
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} Siyasanga Sazile
* {{Flagicon|South Africa}} [[Siba Xamlashe]]
|-
|colspan="100%" style="height:10px"|
|-
|colspan="100%" style="text-align:center"| <small>([[Captain (sports)|cc]]) Denotes team co-captains and '''Bold''' denotes internationally capped.</small> <br/> {{notelist|group=Squad}}
|}

==Springboks==
{|
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Name
!Year
|-
|[[Boetie McHardy]]||1912
|-
|[[Hennie Potgieter]]||1928
|-
|[[Tiny Francis]]||1931/32
|-
|[[Jack Gage (rugby union)|Jack Gage]]||1933
|-
|[[Lappies Hattingh]]||1933
|-
|[[Flip Geel]]||1949
|-
|[[Piet Wessels]]||1951/52
|-
|[[Basie Vivier]]||1956
|-
|[[Harry Walker (rugby_union,_born_1928)|Harry Walker]]||1953
|-
|[[Popeye Strydom]]||1955
|-
|[[Chris de Wilzem]]||1956
|-
|[[Bennie van Niekerk]]||1960/61
|-
|[[Gert Cilliers]]||1963
|-
|[[Nelie Smith]]||1963
|-
|[[John Wessels (rugby union)|John Wessels]]||1965
|-
|[[Piet Goosen]]||1965
|-
|[[Sakkie van Zyl]]||1965
|-
|[[Louis Slabber]]||1965
|}
|width="33"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Name
!Year
|-
|[[Piet Greyling]]||1967
|-
|[[Joggie Jansen]]||1970
|-
|[[Jackie Snyman]]||1974
|-
|[[Gerrie Germishuys]]||1974
|-
|[[Leon Vogel]]||1974
|-
|[[Jan Schlebusch]]||1974
|-
|[[Johan de Bruyn]]||1974
|-
|[[Gerrie Sonnekus]]||1974
|-
|[[Kleintjie Grobler]]||1974
|-
|[[Rampie Stander]]||1974
|-
|[[André Bestbier]]||1974
|-
|[[Edrich Krantz]]||1976
|-
|[[De Wet Ras]]||1976
|-
|[[Theuns Stofberg]]||1976
|-
|[[Hermanus Potgieter]]||1977
|-
|[[Dirk Froneman]]||1977
|-
|[[Barry Wolmarans]]||1977
|-
|[[Martiens le Roux]]||1980
|-
|[[Gysie Pienaar]]||1980
|}
|width="33"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Name
!Year
|-
|[[Eben Jansen]]||1981
|-
|[[Rudi Visagie]]||1984
|-
|[[Jaco Reinach]]||1986
|-
|[[Christo Ferreira]]||1986
|-
|[[Helgard Müller]]||1986
|-
|[[André Joubert]]||1989
|-
|[[Johan Styger]]||1992
|-
|[[Ruben Kruger]]||1993
|-
|[[Hentie Martens]]||1993
|-
|[[Naka Drotské]]||1993
|-
|[[Ollie le Roux]]||1994
|-
|[[Brendan Venter]]||1994
|-
|[[Chris Badenhorst]]||1994
|-
|[[Os du Randt]]||1994
|-
|[[André Venter]]||1996
|-
|[[Werner Swanepoel]]||1997
|-
|[[Rassie Erasmus]]||1997
|-
|[[Jannie de Beer]]||1997
|-
|[[Braam Els]]||1997
|}
|width="33"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Name
!Year
|-
|[[Willie Meyer]]||1997
|-
|[[Hendro Scholtz]]||2002
|-
|[[Friedrich Lombard]]||2002
|-
|[[CJ van der Linde]]||2002
|-
|[[Juan Smith]]||2003
|-
|[[Gerrie Britz]]||2004
|-
|[[Hanyani Shimange]]||2004
|-
|[[Michael Claassens]]||2004
|-
|[[Gurthro Steenkamp]]||2004
|-
|[[Meyer Bosman]]||2005
|-
|[[Bevin Fortuin]]||2006
|-
|[[Kabamba Floors]]||2006
|-
|[[Jannie du Plessis]]||2007
|-
|[[Barend Pieterse]]||2007
|-
|[[Adriaan Strauss]]||2008
|-
|[[Jongi Nokwe]]||2008
|-
|[[Heinrich Brüssow]]||2008
|-
|[[Wian du Preez]]||2009
|-
|[[Coenie Oosthuizen]]||2010
|}
|width="33"|&nbsp;
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Name
!Year
|-
|[[Ashley Johnson (rugby union)|Ashley Johnson]]||2010
|-
|[[Johan Goosen]]||2012
|-
|[[Raymond Rhule]]||2012
|-
|[[Trevor Nyakane]]||2013
|-
|[[Piet van Zyl (rugby player, born 1989)|Piet van Zyl]]||2013
|-
|[[Cornal Hendricks]]||2014
|-
|[[Lood de Jager]]||2014
|-
|[[Oupa Mohoje]]||2014
|-
|[[Francois Venter]]||2016
|-
|[[Uzair Cassiem]]||2016
|-
|[[Ox Nché]]||2018
|-
|[[Rosko Specman]]||2021
|}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.fscheetahs.co.za Official website]

{{Currie Cup}}
{{Rugby Challenge}}
{{Vodacom Cup}}
{{Rugby union in South Africa}}
{{Free State Cheetahs squad}}

[[Category:Rugby clubs established in 1895]]
[[Category:Rugby union teams in South Africa]]
[[Category:Bloemfontein]]
[[Category:Sport in the Free State (province)]]
[[Category:1895 establishments in the Orange Free State]]