Ruan Pienaar. (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
The Cheetahs must now surely be considered favourites for this year’s Currie Cup title after they delivered a quintessential statement victory by defeating the Sharks 29-15 at King’s Park on Wednesday evening.
Granted, that billing can be easily bandied about because they remain the only unbeaten team in the competition, but that would do the circumstances of this performance an injustice.
Known as a side that enjoys adopting a more open, attacking style of play, the Cheetahs were forced to re-think that approach after they were confronted with an incessant Durban shower.
However, any thoughts of that proving to be a hindrance were put to rest basically from the outset.
It’s indeed important to remember that while the Cheetahs’ ultimately final PRO14 encounter was back in March 2020, they possess a head coach and several stalwarts that have experience playing in Europe.
And that came in very handy in a game that mirrored those conditions.
Veteran half-back and captain Ruan Pienaar was a steady influence from the back of the scrum and could count on a wily team-mate in Frans Steyn, whose prodigious boot meant the Cheetahs easily won the tactical kicking battle.
Meanwhile, flanker Andisa Ntsila – a former Southern Kings star for several seasons – revelled and another grizzled “uncle” in Schalk Ferreira was authoritative at loosehead.
Vitally, however, it was fullback Clayton Blommetjies – a PRO14 veteran with the Cheetahs and Scarlets – who cleverly used his awareness to sum up the one moment where his team could launch a devastating counter-attack in treacherous conditions.
Following a poor kick, he ran purposefully to put wing Cohen Jasper into space on the outside.
The exciting youngster brilliantly galloped down the left before passing inside to the relentless Ntsila, who had the pace to score.
That was arguably the defining moment of the game.
In the second and third quarters, both teams played a tight game, with the Sharks in particular keeping themselves in contention through sheer will and some questionable refereeing from Morne Ferreira.
Nonetheless, the hosts were primed to keep the Cheetahs on their toes through two maul tries from hookers Fez Mbatha and Dan Jooste, before the Cheetahs regained their composure once the yellow carding for replacement prop Conraad van Vuuren lapsed.
They gained traction again through their kicking and duly made the game safe with two further tries.
Substitute hooker Louis van der Westhuizen rounded off from a maul and the ever alert flanker Gideon van der Merwe feasted on some sloppy Sharks passing under pressure.
It gave them the buffer on the scoreboard that their astuteness deserved.
Point scorers:
Sharks – (10) 15
Tries: Fez Mbatha, Dan Jooste
Conversion: Tito Bonilla
Penalty: Bonilla
Cheetahs – (16) 29
Try: Andisa Ntsila, Louis van der Westhuizen, Gideon van der Merwe
Conversion: Ruan Pienaar
Penalties: Frans Steyn (2), Pienaar (2)
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