The Cheetahs got themselves back into the Currie Cup race with a 30-10 win over the Sharks in Bloemfontein.
The match was marked by the frequent errors made by the Sharks while the Cheetahs took their chances to claim an important five points on the log.
Cheetahs 37-10 Sharks: Match report
It didn’t take long for the Cheetahs to get on the board after an early mistake by Sharks Centre Jeremy Ward.
The Cheetahs did the basics really well and skipper Carl Wegner powered over for an early try that set the tone.
They gifted Yaw Penxe and easy intercept try to allow the Sharks to get onto the board but the Cheetahs were soon back at the throats of the men from Durban.
Hooker Marnus Van Der Merwe crossed for the Cheetahs second after excellent work from Frans Steyn to get them going forward in the Sharks 22.
Steyn showed he could still bang kicks over from 60 metres out to stretch the Cheetahs lead to 13 just before the half hour mark.
Curwin Bosch responded with a penalty goal for the Sharks, but the Cheetahs crossed the whitewash again before the break to take control of matters.
Quick-thinking from Cheetahs halfback Ruben de Haas put former Sharks winger Rhyno Smith over for the score just before half-time.
Second half a dour affair
The Sharks were afforded multiple chances to get back into the game including a pair of yellow cards for the Cheetahs but they couldn’t muster a single second-half score.
On a few occasions, the Cheetahs themselves came close to clinching the bonus point, but they could only muster a single penalty goal in what was a chaotic second period until late in the half when Boan Venter crossed to give the hosts a full house.
Currie Cup – Matchday squads
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruben de Haas, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Teboho Mohojé, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Carl Wegner (captain), 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Boan Venter. Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Victor Sekekete, 20 George Cronje, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Howard Mnisi, 23 Rhyno Smith.
Sharks: 15 Manie Libbok, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Jeremy Ward, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Aston Fortuin, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 John Hubert-Meyer, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Werner Kok, 23 Aphelele Fassi.
