Faf's brace helps Cheetahs remain top in Currie Cup

MATCH REPORT: Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk scored a brace as the Cheetahs defeated the Sharks by 43-21 in Round Two of the Currie Cup.

There was also a hat-trick for Cheetahs winger Prince Nkabinde.

The Cheetahs will finish on top of the Currie Cup table after the Round Two action concluded as they banked the full house of points over the course of their two matches played thus far.

The Sharks were held up twice in the first half and squandered several scoring opportunities throughout the match.

The scrums will be a concern for the home side as they were dominated in that area, but were overall the better team on the day.

*To recap all the action, CLICK HERE!

The Cheetahs got off to a flyer as De Klerk executed a grubber kick to set Nkabinde up to score the opening try in the second minute. Jaco van der Walt slotted the conversion kick.

The Sharks responded in the ninth minute through Janco Purchase after a solid attacking set from the backline as Tim Swiel levelled the scores with the conversion.

Faf de Klerk responded four minutes later with a try under the posts following a solid break from Marko Janse van Rensburg as Van der Walt restored the seven-point lead.

The see-saw battle on the scoreboard continued when Simphiwe Ngobese dotted down for the Sharks in the 25th minute, with Swiel levelling matters once more.

Frans Steyn will hold his breath as Munier Hartzenberg was helped off the pitch with a medical card in the 25th minute following a thumping tackle which appeared to injure his knee as it twisted in the process.

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De Klerk took a quick tap penalty and got his offload away to Juan Venter, who crossed the line in the 43rd minute.

Cheetahs lock Curtley Thomas found himself in hot water for direct head contact in the tackle in the 47th minute and was sent to the sinbin for his actions.

The Sharks punished the hosts immediately as Marnus Potgieter levelled the scores in the 49th minute. Swiel’s conversion got the Sharks into the lead by 21-19.

The 14-man Cheetahs responded in the 52nd minute from a line-out attacking move to send Nkabinde over in the corner for a brace for the bonus-point try.

Nkabinde barged over from close range following a rolling maul to seal his hat-trick in the 65th minute and made it an eight-point game.

The Sharks went down to 14 players in the 75th minute as Bryce Calvert got yellow-carded for slapping the ball out of De Klerk’s hands.

Daniel Maartens all but sealed the deal moments later as he crossed the line. Van der Walt’s conversion made it a 15-point lead.

De Klerk put the cherry on the cake with an intercept try in the 78th minute to ensure a convincing victory for the Cheetahs. Van der Walt added the extras to seal an emphatic victory.

Scorers:

For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Nkabinde 3, De Klerk 2, Venter, Maartens
Cons: Van der Walt 4

For the Sharks:
Tries: Purchase, Ngobese, Potgieter
Cons: Swiel 3

Yellow cards: Curtley Thomas (Cheetahs, 47′ – Dangerous play: head contact made in the tackle), Bryce Calvert (Sharks, 75′ – Cynical foul: slapping the ball out of the scrumhalf’s hand)

Teams:

Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Michael Annies, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Prince Nkabinde, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Neels Volschenk (captain), 7 Juan Venter, 6 Ramon Uys, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Curtley Thomas, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Tielman Niewoudt.
Replacements: 16 Juan Smal, 17 Tebogo Nkosi, 18 Ben Pitoit, 19 Simon Muller, 20 Sisonke Vumazonke, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Marco Janse van Vuren, 23 Henry Immelman

Sharks: 15 Chijindu Okonta, 14 Christie Grobbelaar, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Janco Purchase, 11 Lyle Matthews, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Thomas Dyer (captain), 7 Danilo Botha, 6 Willem van den Hever, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Johan Momsen, 3 Simphiwe Ngobese, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Cameron Dawson.
Replacements: 16 Bryce Calvert, 17 Jaco du Toit, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Sipho Nonyalela, 20 Hanu Pieterse, 21 Ceano Everson, 22 Chris Horak, 23 Matthew Fortuin.

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen
Assistant referees: Dylen November, Sean Muller
TMO: Marius Jonker