Otniel Hembapu
South African rugby giants Cheetahs, who campaign in the highly-competitive Pro14 Championship comprising of professional clubs from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, has extended the contract of Namibian international prop Aranos Coetzee until 2022.
The 32-year old Coetzee, who joined the Cheetahs in 2015 from French top tier league side CA Brive, was yesterday among the six players whose contracts were extended until 31 October 2022 and beyond.
For the experienced loosehead prop Coetzee, his contract was extended until 31 October 2022 and will now see him continue with his flourishing career at the Bloemfontein-based outfit. Along with Coetzee, teammate Charles Marais and flankers Junior Pokomela and Aidon Davis all had their contracts extended to 2022 as well.
Meanwhile, Cheetahs’ versatile forward Marnus van der Merwe will also be staying in Bloemfontein until 31 October 2023, while the contract of the American scrum half Ruben de Haas has been extended for another year until 31 October 2021.
Announcing the contract extensions on its website yesterday, the club indicated that Coetzee, who represented Namibia at two Rugby World Cups [2015 and 2019] and received the Toyota Cheetah’s Super Rugby Player of the Year award in 2017, will bring much-needed consistency at the front row of the club’s starting lineup.
In 2006, Coetzee represented South Africa at the Under-18 Africa Cup. He, however, switched allegiances to his country of birth, Namibia, and made his test debut for the Welwitschias during their 2015 Africa Cup match against Tunisia in Nabeul.
He was also named in a 50-man Namibian training squad before the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Coetzee joined the Cheetahs for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division, despite expectations that he would miss the majority of the tournament through his involvement with Namibia at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and went on to be awarded Super Rugby Player of the Year in 2017.
– Adapted from www.fscheetahs.co.za