Cheetahs cruise to the top of the standings
MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs cruised to the top of the Currie Cup standings with an emphatic 35-5 bonus-point win over the Bulls in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The Cheetahs will host Pumas in the semifinal in Bloemfontein next week, while the Bulls will be at home to Griquas.
Outscoring the under-whelming Bulls outfit by five tries to one, the home team had wrapped up the bonus point inside the first half-hour – leading 28-0 at the half-time break.
The second half saw coach Hawies Fourie clear his bench and give the replacements a proper run – resulting in a scrappy last half-hour.
However, by then the game was over as a contest and they cruised – avoiding any serious injuries to key players.
* Top recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!
The Cheetahs rediscovered their mojo at just the right time, leap-frogging the defending champions – finishing the regular season with 48 points, one point better than the Bulls, who finished second.
Having successfully prevented Gert Smal’s team from gaining any points from this exciting clash, the team coached by Hawies Fourie also earned the right to host the Final should they win next weekend’s semifinal in Bloemfontein against the Pumas.
The Bulls, defending champions of SA’s premier domestic competition, will host the Griquas in the other semifinal next Saturday in Pretoria.
Playing at home in their last game of the league phase, the Free Staters enjoyed an excellent first half as they scored four converted tries to go 28-0 up at half-time, to bring up the crucial bonus point.
The Cheetahs needed a bonus-point win, while keeping the visitors from gaining any bonus points, to secure first place as their big reward.
Before kick-off that seemed a huge ask, as the Free Staters have lost their last two league games – against Griquas and the Pumas – after going on an impressive nine-game unbeaten run.
But playing in front of their faithful supporters, the home pack was simply outstanding against their young opponents, while skipper and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar was the impressive general behind the pack as he pulled all the right strings.
Apart from an overthrow in the first half, they were simply outstanding in the line-out, which delivered two early tries, while the visitors struggled to match them in the scrums. And when the men from Pretoria did manage to threaten their line, they displayed solid defence to keep them at bay.
The match was barely two minutes old when prolific try-scoring hooker Louis van der Westhuizen was pushed over the line for his 14th try of the current campaign. Pienaar raised the flags with his conversion kick (7-0). Twelve minutes later the home side used the same tactic to deadly effect, with the same outcome to double their lead to 14-0.
Right wing Daniel Kasende was put away out wide and he still had a defender to beat, which he did very well, before dotting down the third try which Pienaar had no trouble converting from the side as the white and orange jerseys took control with the score at 21-0.
Outside centre David Brits followed in quick succession over the whitewash, with Pienaar adding the extras to steer his side to a comfortable 28-10 halftime lead.
After the restart, fullback Clayton Blommetjies was the beneficiary of a great floating pass from Pienaar, allowing the hard-running No 15 to dot down try number five (35-0).
The Bulls did eventually get onto the scoreboard via a well-worked Stedman Gans try initiated by Lionel Mapoe in midfield.
The rest of the second half was a good arm wrestle as the visitors tried their best but the Cheetahs did everything possible to safeguard their goal line and their bonus-point advantage.
The scorers
For the Cheetahs
Tries: Van der Westhuizen 2, Kasende, Brits, Blommetjies
Cons: Pienaar 5
For the Bulls
Try: Gans
Yellow card: Sidney Tobias (Bulls, 45 – cynical foul, slapping the ball down)
Teams
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Chris Smit, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Siyabonga Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar (captain), 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Aidon Davis, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Louis , 1 Cameron Dawson.
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Marne Coetzee, 19 Ockie Barnard, 20 George Cronje, 21 Mihlali Mosi, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Robert Ebersohn.
Bulls: 15 Richard Kriel, 14 Tharquin Manuel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Lionel Mapoe, 11 Quewin Nortje, 10 Juan Mostert, 9 Keagan Johannes, 6 Muller Uys (captain), 7 Jaco Labuschagne, 6 Eric Basson, 5 Ruan Vermaak, 4 Raynard Roets, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Sidney Tobias, 1 Cebo Dlamini.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Erasmus, 17 Tielman Nieuwoudt, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Willie Potgieter, 21 Tiaan Fourie, 22 Frederik du Plessis, 23 Niel Beukes.
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Christopher Allison, Jaco Kotze
TMO: Marius Jonker
