Cheetahs coach happy despite loss

The Bloemfontein side produced a gritty performance in Cape Town and nearly spoiled the host's party with a late surge that left the home fans biting their fingernails.

"I am really happy," said Smith after the game.

"We said that we were going to become a better team and I think that's what we proved today. 

"I think we came on in leaps and bounds from where we started at the beginning of the season. We played against a team who are desperate to get into the play-offs."

The Cheetahs were only five points adrift at half-time, however, two opportunistic tries by Stormers wings Leolin Zas and Kobus van Wyk in the second half were huge blows in their plans to upstage their opponents.

"That was unfortunate. It has been the story of our season. We get into position to score, we don't score and immediately they score on the other side," said Smith. 

Cheetahs captain Francois Venter agreed that Zas' intercept try soon after half-time was a big setback for them in the game. 

"That intercept was a big moment," Venter.

"I am proud of the guys because we kept up the fight and believed till the end that we were going to win or draw this game.

"We wanted to win back the respect of our fans and hopefully we did that today. It's nice to get a five week break now.

"We are still a young side. This is the beginning of the Cheetahs – this is not who we are now."

By Warren Fortune

@FortuneWarren

@rugby365com