Currie Cup: Jake White’s impressive Bulls outfit will welcome a Cheetahs side that handed the men from Pretoria their only defeat since the 2020 season restart.
The Cheetahs won their second clash of Super Rugby Unlocked season against the Bulls but have since lost momentum, in part due to matches being called off on account of health protocols.
Bulls vs Cheetahs: Currie Cup 2020
The Bulls started brightly attacking in waves after an early error from the Cheetahs eventually settling for three points off the boot of Morne Steyn and an early lead.
Four Minutes later Embrose Papier crossed after a brilliant counterattacking play from the Bulls.
Frans Steyn got the Cheetahs on the board with an effortless 40-metre penalty goal.
The Bulls soon restored a ten point buffer as their veteran number ten slotted another penalty goal but Steyn closed the gap again just before the half hour mark to keep the Cheetahs in it at 13-6.
Morne Steyn made a mistake he wasn’t made to regret as the Cheetahs failed to capitalise on his bizarre quick throw-in which saw him isolated and coughing up the ball in his own 22.
The Cheetahs managed to turn things around with concerted albeit error-laden attacks.
The visitors finally found some precision form debutant Reinhard Fortuin who sniped over to score.
Frans Steyn missed a penalty after the hooter that would have sent the Cheetahs into the break with an unlikely lead.
Half-time
The Cheetahs couldn’t make another piece of territorial dominance pay at the start of the second half.
Marco van Staden would score after the Bulls caught the Cheetahs napping at a lineout five metres out and mauled over.
Steyn again established a ten-point lead as he goaled a penalty kick just before the hour mark.
The Bulls had a try from Cornal Hendricks rules out but moments later seemed to put the game beyond the when substitute Chris Smith crossed after a quick counterattack.
This game was a tale of taking chances and the Bulls took theirs well while the Cheetahs were wasteful. Van Staden rumbled over again late in the game to secure a bonus point for the Bulls.
Bulls vs Cheetahs: Relive Currie Cup action
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Team News
Kurt-Lee Arendse and David Kriel switch to fullback and right wing respectively for the Bulls, while Marco Jansen van Vuren earns his first start on the left wing.
There is a new halfback pairing as Morné Steyn returns to flyhalf with Embrose Papier manning his inside channel at scrumhalf.
Amongst the forwards, Sintu Manjezi (lock) will start his first match, while the front row sees two changes, both at prop, with Marcel van der Merwe and Gerhard Steenekamp getting a start.
Steenekamp’s start at loosehead was down to the one-week ban handed to Jacques van Rooyen after he was shown a red card in their victory over Western Province last weekend.
Kurt-Lee Arendse and David Kriel switching to fullback and right wing respectively, while Marco Jansen van Vuren earns his first start on the left wing.
There is a new halfback pairing as Morné Steyn returns to flyhalf with Embrose Papier manning his inside channel at scrumhalf.
Amongst the forwards, Sintu Manjezi (lock) will start his first match, while the front row sees two changes, both at prop, with Marcel van der Merwe and Gerhard Steenekamp getting a start.
Steenekamp’s start at loosehead was down to the one-week ban handed to Jacques van Rooyen after he was shown a red card in their victory over DHL Western Province last weekend.
Victor Sekekete (flank) will earn his first Currie Cup start for the Cheetahs, while George Cronjé (flank), who played for the SA Schools side just last year, is set to make his senior debut if he takes the field.
Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie made two injury-enforced changes to his side from their last outing late in November, with Sekekete filling the void left by Springbok Oupa Mohoje and Khutha Mchunu (prop) coming in for Hencus van Wyk.
Bulls – Currie Cup matchday squad
Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 David Kriel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Marcel van der Merwe, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marnus Potgieter.
Cheetahs – Currie Cup matchday squad
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rhyno Smith, 13 Howard Mnisi, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Victor Sekekete, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Carl Wegner (captain), 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Boan Venter. Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Cameron Dawson, 18 Erich de Jager, 19 Chris Massyn, 20 George Cronjé, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 William Small-Smith.
