Chiefs get out of jail
Sat, 08 Mar 2008 10:49
The Cheetahs once again came desperately close to a great victory, but ultimately had to bow 20-22 to the Chiefs in their Super 14 clash in Hamilton.
In the quintessential game of two halves, the Cheetahs stretched out to an impressive 17-0 lead in the first period, but their luck and execution deteriorated in the second half, and the Chiefs scored three second-half tries to take the win by a narrow margin.
What a strange game! What a turnaround!
In the first half the Cheetahs of the Free State made all the running and led 17-0, but in the second half they were overwhelmed by the Chiefs and even then just managed not to hold on to their lead.
The Cheetahs are an endangered species but not quite extinct but three close defeats for Naka Drotské's young side must leave them feeling empty.
There was also an irony. Stephen Donald whose goal kicking has been woeful this year was the man who goaled the winning penalty and it was his most difficult kick of the night.
There was another irony. What is the opposite of an impact player? Drotské made two changes that damaged the Cheetahs. One was Hendro Scholtz who gave away two penalties, the second of which directly contributed to Callum Bruce's try which took the Chiefs to 20-19. The other was Tewis de Bruyn at flyhalf who knocked on his first pass from Noel Oelschig to yield a five-metre scrum from which Brendon Leonard almost scored. Then, when the Cheetahs got themselves into Chiefs' territory and were carefully husbanding the ball De Bruyn dithered and yielded the turn-over that sent Lelia Masaga hurtling for the corner. Eddie Frederick tackled him around the neck and was sent to the sin bin. That was the penalty that Donald turned to gold.
The Chiefs played a funny old game. In the first half they did bits of close-quarter battering but looked so much better in the second half when they stopped hoping that Sione Lauaki could plod through opponents and went wider to their speedsters.
Early in the game the Chiefs looked dangerous when Sitiveni Sivivatu countered off a kick by Oelschig. And the Cheetahs looked bewildered when Conrad Barnard forgot abbot ELVs and kicked a passed-back ball out on the full. But then they became the ones playing the sweet, organised, efficient rugby. Part of that efficiency was their competence at set pieces, their speed to clear the tackle and the suddenness of their own tackling, attributes which rather waned in the second half.
It certainly was a lively and entertaining game on a perfect evening in Hamilton with England's cricketers to watch, looking satisfied after smashing back at the Black Caps.
The Cheetahs scored their first try from a line-out when they went wide and JW Jonker at outside centre had no difficulty breaking past Dwayne Sweeney to send Fredericks turning round to score under the posts. 7-0 after 12 minutes.
As the Cheetahs dominated possession and territory they kept on attacking, Hennie Daniller going close. They went further ahead when Sivivatu was penalised and sin-binned for a spear tackle on Jonker which may have later repercussions if other precedents have any meaning. Barnard goaled the penalty. 10-0.
The Cheetahs were handling so well as they attacked left and right. But then the Chiefs threatened till Leonard turned the ball sharply in to Lauaki who knocked on. The Cheetahs picked up and the ball went flip-flip down the line to speedster Jongi Nokwe who raced over unimpeded for a try at the posts. 17-0 after 31 minutes. At this stage Sivivatu returned.
The Chiefs had a great chance to score just before half-time. Fredericks was off-side and they made a penalty into a five-metre line-out. The Cheetahs mauled them back but the Chiefs broke free and Leonard rushed at the line where Daniller was waiting. The television match official decided that they were short. The Cheetahs were penalised for being off-side at the subsequent five-metre scrum but Donald missed the penalty, which was harder than the "sitter" he had missed earlier in the half.
The Chiefs started the second half as they had ended the first. from a five-metre scrum Leonard darted at the line. The referee asked the TMO if there was any reason why he should not award a try. The TMO could not see a reason why the try should not be awarded. Who scored is uncertain. Leonard claimed it but the Chiefs seemed to think it was Toma Harding. Donald converted. 17-7 after 44 minutes.
There was an element of doubt about the validity of their next try but not about aspects of brilliance in its execution. It started when young flank Heinrich Brüssow, who otherwise had a brilliant game, opted to grubber at a time when the Cheetahs were suddenly going though many phases and looking back to their first-half competence. The Chiefs grabbed the grubber and went from right to left with Sivivatu twice in evidence, the second time with a pass which some considered forward. The ball went left to Willis who rushed ahead and gave to Sosene Anesi on his outside. Tackled, the flier turned the ball back inside to Sivivatu who strode off to the posts. 17-14 after 49 minutes.
The Chiefs were penalised just once in the second half, when Tanerau Latimer was off-side at a scrum, and Barnard made it 20-14 after 52 minutes.
There was a lot of time to play but few points. Two scored were the winners. It was a time when Cheetah efficiency crumbled and the Chiefs dominated possession and territory.
Leonard actually got over the line but there had been a tiny knock-on by Liam Messam a metre behind him. The Chiefs were hammering at the \Cheetahs who, brave men, kept holding them out, till a penalty conceded by Scholtz for a late shoulder charge, gave the Chiefs an attacking platform and again that scrumhalf handful Leonard was darting at the line. The Chiefs were over and this time the TMO found evidence to suggest that Callum Bruce had scored a try. It was not a difficult conversion but, crucially, Donald missed. 20-19 to the Cheetahs with 12 minutes to play.
The Cheetahs seemed to be containing the situation and using pick-'n-drive to melt the time away till the turn-over off De Bruyn, the dangerous tackle by Fredericks and the pen salty goal by Donald.
Man of the Match: There were two outstanding displays by live-wire scrumhalves - Noel Oelschig of the Cheetahs and Brendon Leonard of the Chiefs. There were two outstanding young men, both flanks - Heinrich Brüssow of the Cheetahs and our Man of the Match Faifili Levave who ran with purpose and tackled with shuddering directness.
Moment of the Match: That penalty goal by Donald that caused a huge sigh of relief all over the Waikato.
Villain of the Match: The two men with the dangerous tackles - Sitiveni Sivivatu of the Chiefs and Eddie Fredericks of the Cheetahs. Both may have their actions revisited.
Scorers:
For the Chiefs:
Tries: Leonard, Sivivatu, Bruce
Cons: Donald 2
Pens: Donald
For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Fredericks, Nokwe
Cons: Barnard 2
Pens: Barnard 2
Yellow cards: Sitiveni Sivivatu (Chiefs, 19 - foul play, dangerous tackle); Eddie Fredericks (Cheetahs, 74 - foul play, dangerous tackle)
Chiefs: 15 Mils Muliaina (captain), 14 Sosene Anesi, 13 Dwayne Sweeney, 12 Callum Bruce, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Tom Harding, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Kevin O'Neill, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Ben May, 2 Tom Willis, 1 Simms Davison.
Replacements: 16 Vern Kamo, 17 Ben Castle, 18 Hayden
Hopgood, 19 Liam Messam, 20 Tanerau Latimer, 21 David Bason, 22 Lelia Masaga.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Conrad Barnard, 9 Falie Oelschig, 8 Duanne Vermeulen, 7 Darron Nel, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 Rory Duncan (captain), 3 Kobus Calldo, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Ronnie Uys, 18 David de Villiers, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Tobie Botes, 21 Tewis de Bruyn, 22 Hendrik Meyer.
Referee: Paul Marks (Australia)
Touch judges: Geoff Acton (Australia), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
Assessor: Stuart Beissel (New Zealand)
