Drotské on the 'great escape'

Pensive Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske

Free State Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské said, after beating the Lions 20-18 in the Absa Currie Cup Final in Bloemfontein on Saturday, that at one stage he didn't think his side would pull it off.

The Cheetahs had a close call in the defence of their title, coming back from 6-18 down with less than 20 minutes to go to score two late tries and become the Currie Cup champions for the third year running.

"When we were down 6-18 I didn't think, at that stage, that we could come back," Drotské said.

"I was delighted with the way that we got back into the game. I think in the first half we played really well and we kept the momentum going. When we lost Alwyn [Hollenbach early in the first half] we were always going to be in trouble.

"Hats off to the Lions, that they came back like they did in the early part of the second half," he added.

The Cheetahs' captain Rory Duncan backed up the sentiments of his coach saying that the game had been a bit too close for comfort.

"To the Lions; well done! You guys made it a great game," he said.

Drotské said that the side had stuck to the game-plan and played conservatively for the first half, with the second half being the time that they were hoping to fire.

"I thought in the second half we could make things happen and then we got the first yellow card [Darron Nell in the 49th minute]," Drotské said.

"Then we got the second [Eddie Fredericks in the 63rd minute] and we were 18-6 down and we said to the guys that they just needed to keep calm and keep the ball and try to get the two tries we needed.

"I thought that overall it was a great Final.

"The guys spread it wide at times and sometimes they kept it tight, making it a good game to watch," he added.

"Both teams did their homework and I think that we put them under a lot of pressure and they also put us under pressure - typical Final stuff," he said of the competitive line-outs where both teams turned over lots of possession.

Drotské also said that the team had big plans for the future and with a number of talented youngsters in the side ready to win the Currie Cup for the Cheetahs again in 2008.

"It's still a young team and I think that they have a big future," he said.