Cheetahs' second-half surge sinks Black Lion

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs produced an incredible second-half performance to defeat Black Lion by 47-31 in the Toyota Challenge on Sunday.

The Cheetahs and Griquas went unbeaten during this tournament, with Pieter Bergh’s charges winning the Toyota Challenge by virtue of points difference (119) after their massive 67-7 victory over Lusitanos in the earlier match.

Jimmy Stonehouse’s Pumas also finished on a high note with a 46-26 victory over Romania ‘A’.

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The Cheetahs had the perfect start through Michael Annies, who scored within the first 80 seconds of the match following a well-timed kick by Cohen Jasper. Jaco van der Walt added the extras.

Black Lion were denied a try moments later after obstruction had been ruled, but got their reward in the fifth minute when No.8 Giorgi Sinauridze barged over for the try.

Luka Tsirekidze levelled matters at 7-7.

Black Lion took the lead in the 10th minute through winger Roma Makhatadze after a chip-and-chase effort. Tsirekidze’s conversion was successful.

The visitors extended their lead to 10 points with a successful penalty goal by Tsirekidze in the 24th minute.

Black Lion went down to 14 players in the 30th minute when Mikheil Babunashvili was yellow-carded for slowing the ball down illegally at the breakdown after a linebreak.

The Cheetahs, after applying sustained pressure for a number of minutes in the Black Lion red zone, squandered several scoring opportunities to close the gap heading into the break.

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The second half started with drama after an allegation of spitting came to the fore from the Cheetahs, but TMO Griffin Colby couldn’t find compelling evidence.

Black Lion extended their lead through Davit Abdushelishvili’s try in the 46th minute. Tsirekidze’s conversion ensured a 17-point lead for the visitors.

The visitors lost their captain with a 20-minute red card after Babunashvili conceded a second yellow card for a high tackle on Annies in the 50th minute.

The Cheetahs finally got over the line in the 50th minute when replacement prop Ben Pitout crashed over from close range. Van der Walt added the conversion.

The hosts closed the gap further through Marco Jansen van Vuren in the 59th minute as Van der Walt’s conversion made it a three-point game.

Munier Hartzenberg, on the occasion of his 50th Cheetahs cap, got the hosts back in the lead, stemming from an attack starting from their own 22 as Black Lion started to fall off tackles. Van der Walt added the extras.

Black Lion was down to 13 players when Otar Giorgadze was sent to the sinbin, and the Cheetahs to 14 players when Daniel Maartens got his marching orders for retaliation after a scuffle broke out in the 66th minute.

The Cheetahs extended their lead through Van der Walt, who scored with 11 minutes left on the clock and converted his own try.

The hosts all but secured the result through Zander du Plessis, who dotted down in the 74th minute. Cohen Jasper slotted the conversion.

Hartzenberg grabbed a brace in the 78th minute, but Black Lion’s Tornike Kakhoidze had the final say of the game with a late try, converted by Tsirekidze.

Scorers

For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Annies, Pitout, Jansen van Vuren, Hartzenberg 2, Van der Walt, Du Plessis
Cons: Van der Walt 5, Jasper

For Black Lion:
Tries: Tsutskiridze, Makhatadze, Abdushelishvili,
Cons: Tsirekidze 4
Pen: Tsirekidze

Twenty-minute red card (upgraded from a second yellow card): Mikheil Babunashvili (Black Lion, 50′ – Dangerous play: high tackle)

Yellow cards: Otar Giorgadze (Black Lion, 66′- Initiating a scuffle), Daniel Maartens (Cheetahs, 66′ – Retaliation)

Cheetahs: 15 Ethan Wentzel, 14 Cohen Jasper, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Michael Annies, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Sisonke Vumazonke, 7 Neels Volschenk (captain), 6 Ramon Uys, 5 Curtly Thomas, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Tielman Niewoudt
Replacements: 16 Chucky van der Westhuizen, 17 Dux Manyama, 18 Ben Pitout, 19 Pieter Janse van Vuren, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Gideon van der Merwe, 22 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 23 Prince Nkabinde

Black Lion: 15 Luka Tsirekidze, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Sandro Todua, 12 Tornike Kakhoidze, 11 Roma Makhatadze, 10 Merles Peters, 9 Tengiz Peranidze, 8 Giorgi Sinauridze, 7 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 6 Lasha Tsikhistavi, 5 Demur Epremidze, 4 Mikheil Babunashvili (captain), 3 Kakhaber Darbaidze, 2 Irakli Kvatadze, 1 Davit Abdushelishvili
Replacements: 16 Shota Kheladze, 17 Giga Kobakhidze, 18 Nikoloz Khatiashvili, 19 Guga Ghaniashvili, 20 Otar Giorgadze, 21 Giorgi Kervalishvili; 22 Giorgi Spanderashvili, 23 Giorgi Pruidze

Referee: Morne Ferreira
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Griffin Colby

Image credit: @CheetahsRugby