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Frans Steyn contributed 17 points when the Cheetahs defeated the Sharks 37-10 at Bloemfontein on Sunday.
With just two rounds of action remaining in the regular season, the Cheetahs have increased their slim chances of qualifying for the playoffs with this unexpected victory and a welcome bonus point.
As for the Sharks, they are still likely to make it to the knockout stage, but the door is closing fast on the prospect of securing a semi-final at home.
The Cheetahs fully deserved this victory. With the exception of a small period of poor discipline, they were at the top of their game in every respect. In particular, it was the Cheetahs dominance in scrums and breakdowns that led to the Sharks’ undoing.
However, visitors also have to take some of the blame for their struggles. They had several great transitions in open play, but poor handling and decision-making in the last third of the field cost them dearly.
On a spectacular start, the hosts scored a converted try 30 seconds after kickoff when Carl Wegner’s block was cleared. The Sharks responded in kind before the five-minute mark when wing Yaw Penxe scored a serendipitous try and Curwin Bosch converted.
But those were his last points for quite some time as the Cheetahs slowly began to clinically build a dominant advantage. In fact, the Cheetahs’ dominance was aided by the Sharks who conceded eight penalties in the first half.
Steyn hit two booming penalties, including one from within his own half and at the edge of halftime, injury replacement Rhyno Smith pocketed the Cheetahs’ third try at the edge of halftime after scrum-half Ruben de Haas made a quick tap.
With a 27-10 lead at the break, the Sharks started the second half with much greater intent and their attempt to come back was facilitated by the Cheetahs who dropped to 13 men shortly after the restart when Rosko Specman and Boan Venter were dispatched to the sin. bin for a cynical early tackle and dangerous head tackle respectively.
After the second yellow card was issued, the Sharks established a 5-meter lineout three times, but were repulsed by the staunch Cheetah defense. And on the third maul attempt, No. 8 Cheetahs Juandre Rudolph went through the middle and gained possession of his team with a forced loss.
From there, the Cheetahs made their way to midfield and when the Sharks conceded another penalty, Steyn lined up and scored his third penalty to extend his lead to 20 points.
Despite their misfortunes, the Sharks continued to create opportunities but in doing so they continued to squander those opportunities as well. At the other end, Smith slipped away for his second try that would ensure the Cheetahs scored a victory with bonus points, but the attempt was disallowed due to a forward pass in preparation.
Instead, the Cheetahs would award a third yellow card when midfielder Reinhardt Fortuin was trashed, but even then the Sharks couldn’t capitalize. As it turned out, both sides kept the ball alive well into injury time and it was the Cheetahs who secured possession from a counter-ruck to set prop Venter up for the bonus point try, which Steyn converted.
Cheetahs – Attempts: Carl Wegner, Marnus van der Merwe, Rhyno Smith, Boan Venter. Conversions: Frans Steyn (4). Penalties: Steyn (3).
Sharks – Test: Yaw Penxe. Conversion: Curwin Bosch. Penalty: Bosch.
Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 DriesS wanepoel, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Rubende Haas, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Carl Wegner ( c), 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Boan Venter.
Subs: 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.
Subs: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Werner Kok, 23 Aphelele Fassi.
Photo: Cheetah Rugby / Twitter
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