Cheetahs get their revenge

The Cheetahs were a different team to the one that lost 3-9 to WP in wet conditions at Newlands in Currie Cup's Round Two.

They laid the foundation for the win in the first half, when they ran the Cape outfit ragged with some enterprising rugby and scored three tries to lead 25-15 at half-time.

The home side only managed to add another three points in the second half, but it proved to be more than enough in the end.  

WP did improve in the latter stages of the game, but costly mistakes meant they were never able to get the momentum they needed to try and snatch a late win.

With Province having hauled their way back into game from 3-25 down after 25 minutes to 21-25 after 59 minutes, a fortuitous hack-through took play back into the Province danger-zone.

Referee Stuart Berry then awarded the hosts a penalty for hands in the ruck; a penalty which replacement flyhalf Sias Ebersohn pulled wide. But he was called back because Seabelo Senatla had charged at the kick.

This time he made no mistake. At 28-21, the Cheetahs had the cushion to absorb what Province could throw at them, for the desperate visitors had to play loose and wild.

Western Province had promised an improved performance after what they themselves called an 'embarrassing' performance against the Blue Bulls at Loftus last week, but the first 25 minutes was equal, if not worse than that.

It took just two minutes for Free State No.8 Neill Jordaan to charge down a Demetri Catrakilis clearance and open the scoring.

It could have been worse: Fred Zeilinga missed an easy conversion kick. But he made amends with a penalty two minutes later to put the Cheetahs 8-0 ahead.

Western Province had also promised a tighter defence which leaked 47 points last time out.

That didn't happen either.

From a line-out and a driving maul, the Province defence went walkabout and Free State scrumhalf Shaun Venter waltzed through.

Then, from a Western Province knock-on Raymond Rhule, freed by a missed tackle, went on a terrific run and offloaded to Ryno Benjamin, who crossed with three defenders on his back. In between all that Catrakilis hit a penalty and Zeilinga added another, but after 25 minutes Free State were 25-3 up.

Province then decided to tighten up and they were rewarded.

First Seabelo Senatla scored from close range after a good Province scrum, and five minutes later Rynhardt Elstadt took the final pass from a break by Alistair Vermaak from a line-out 22 metres out.

Province must have been relieved to go into the break with just a 10-point deficit at 25-15.

One can only imagine the team-talk in the dressing room. Province came out rejuvenated and determined. They already had domination in the scrum as BJ Uys buckled under pressure from Vermaak, but they also piled into the ruck, securing possession and two penalties which Kurt Coleman converted to close the gap to 25-21.

But Province also kicked away a lot of possession and there was a hint of desperation when Coleman went for a drop kick when an attack was looking good.

The Cheetahs defended vigorously and were also keen to attack through broken play. At least the Province defence was more cohesive… until that spilled ball that was hacked through.

Man of the match: There were a number of Cheetahs' contenders for this accolade with Ryno Benjamin being a constant threat and Clayton Blommetjies controlling things from the back. However, it was Shaun Venter's quick and silky service at the base of the rucks that proved the major difference between the two teams.

Scorers:

For Free State Cheetahs:

Tries: S Venter, Jordaan, Benjamin

Cons: Zeilinga 2

Pens: Zeilinga 1, Ebersohn

For Western Province:

Tries: Senatla, Elstadt

Con: Catrakilis

Pens: Catrakilis, Coleman 2

Teams:

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ryno Benjamin, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Gerhard Olivier, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Jacques du Toit, 1 Burrie Uys.

Replacements: 16 Elandre Huggett, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Reniel Hugo, 19 Freddy Ngoza, 20 Ruan van Rensburg, 21 Tertius Kruger, 22 Sias Ebersohn.

Western Province: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Nizaam Carr (captain), 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Alistair Vermaak.

Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 JP Smith, 18 Jan de Klerk, 19 Chris Cloete, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Dillyn Leyds.

Referee: Stuart Berry

Assistant referees: Sindile Ngcese, Pieter Maritz