Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske will retire at the end of the season

Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske has announced he will retire at the end of the season, ending an eight year spell in charge of the South African side.

Drotske had planned to announce the news at the end of the season but was forced to reveal his decision after it leaked into the media.

He has been associated with the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs since 1988 as both a youth and senior player before becoming coach.

Drotske said: “I’ve been involved in rugby since I can remember”.

Former Benetton Treviso coach Franco Smith will take over the Cheetahs in Super Rugby next season, the team announced.

Drotske has coached the Free State Cheetahs in 90 Currie Cup and 114 Super Rugby games, producing 14 players for the South African national side.

Managing Director of the Free State Cheetahs, Harold Verster said “Naka played an essential role in player contracting. With a limited budget he managed to recruit top players and produced Springboks for the Cheetahs.”

Drotske was also part of the South African squad that won the World Cup in 1995 in Ellis Park.