The new recruitments have reported for duty at the Toyota Cheetahs ahead of their important SuperRugby Unlocked clash against the Sharks on Friday evening.

The loose-forward, Jeandré Rudolph, arrived from the Pumas, while the locks, Victor Sekekete and Ian Groenewald, joined from the Griquas.

Whether or not the trio will be playing this week remains to be seen, with coach Hawies Fourie, only naming his team for the match in Durban on Wednesday.

The former Junior Springbok, Sekekete, told OFM Sport that joining the Griquas last year revived this career.

“It’s definitely an opportunity that I have been waiting for."

“It’s an opportunity where I have been looking to play the brand of rugby that the Cheetahs play. The way Cheetahs has been playing is an exciting brand of rugby."

“Coming down all the way from Kimberley, I am very grateful for the opportunity I had there. If it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have been seen."

“For what I have received at that side I am truly grateful because I was on the verge of stopping and going to focus on work or something like that. I am glad that I took the Griquas journey which led to the Cheetahs chapter that I’ve got now.”

The former Lions second-rower added that he is glad to move to Bloemfontein with Groenewald and he looks forward to continuing the partnership.

“Moving down with Ian (Groenewald) is one of the positives, as well because he is my lock partner and we played a lot of games together."

“Personally for me moving to the Cheetahs is an opportunity that I want to use and expose. I’ve been waiting for a chance like this to showcase myself and what I am all about.”

Sekekete represented the BabyBoks at the 2014 IRB (now World Rugby) Junior World Championships in New Zealand, along with the likes of Handré Pollard, Malcolm Marx, Jesse Kriel, André Esterhuizen, Warrick Gelant Thomas du Toit and Wilco Louw. The former Cheetahs that played in that team were Joseph Dweba, Zee Mkhabela, Abongile Nonkontwana, Sergeal Petersen and Lloyd Greeff, while the current Cheetahs loose-forward, Aidon Davis, is still at the franchise.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport