The Cheetahs, officially known as the Toyota Cheetahs for sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union franchise based in Bloemfontein. The team represents the Free State Cheetahs, a Currie Cup side founded in 1895, and competes in the domestic Carling Currie Cup Premier Division.[1]
Design and History
The current Cheetahs logo was introduced ahead of the 2016 Super Rugby season. In December 2015, the club announced that the new mark was a compilation of the Toyota Cheetah and Toyota Free State Cheetah logos, with colours representing both the Free State Cheetahs and headline sponsor Toyota.[2]
The redesign coincided with a structural change in the franchise. After nine years of sharing the Super Rugby franchise with neighbours Griquas and Griffons, the Free State Cheetahs became the sole shareholder of the Toyota Cheetah franchise in 2016.[2]
The new logo, described as a sprinting Cheetah, was unveiled on the upper left chest of the team’s 2016 jersey, supplied by technical and apparel partner Puma.[3] The jersey also featured a modern Cheetah watermark, which the club said symbolised a new generation of Cheetah player that carries the traditions of Free State rugby while possessing the skills, power and agility required by modern Super Rugby.[3]
The 2016 kit launch also marked a return to a traditional all-white home jersey and an all-orange away strip.[3] Orange and white have long been the representative colours of the Free State Currie Cup side.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The sprinting Cheetah motif was chosen to represent a new generation of player, one grounded in Free State rugby traditions but equipped for the modern professional game.[3] The colour palette in the logo combines the orange associated with the Free State Cheetahs with the branding of headline sponsor Toyota.[2]
The cheetah itself has long served as the emblem of the Free State rugby side, which was formerly known as the Orange Free State before adopting the Cheetahs name.[4]
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