Cheetahs end their Currie Cup campaign with narrow win over Griquas

The Cheetahs edged the Griquas 18-22 in Saturday's Currie Cup action.

 

 

 

The dead rubber Currie Cup game got off to a fast start with Griquas going over to score as early as the 3rd minute from a maul but it was subsequently overturned as TMO ruled it a knock-on.

 

 

Griquas continued to give penalties away early in the first half, however, Cheetahs could not capitalize on the Griquas faults. The TMO was called again into action in the 16th minute for a possible try for the Cheetahs. The Griquas were shoved off the ball by a counter ruck from the Cheetahs on the try line, but the TMO ruled it a no try and taken back by Griquas. Cheetahs got the first scores on the board with Marnus van Der Merwe going over to score in the 20th minute, sigh Frans Steyn converting the try.

 

Tinus de Beer finally got the Griquas on the board in the 29th minute, with a penalty kick. De Beer minutes slotted another successful penalty kick to make it a one-point difference between the two sides. Frans Steyn's late first-half penalty kick sent the Cheetahs into a 10-6 lead at half time.

 

 

Griquas came out firing in the second half, going to score as early as the 46th minute with van Der Merwe going over to score from a maul which sent them into the lead by a point. Steyn kicked another successful penalty in the 58th minute to regain the lead. Minutes later and Steyn kicked a 52m penalty to extend their lead to 5 points. Cheetahs continued to dominate the game at the breakdown and Steyn continued his fine kicking form extending the lead to 8 points after 65 minutes.

 

 

In a dramatic fightback, Griquas hit back with a try in the 73rd minute, with Daniel Kasende going over to score after a beautiful two-step around Clayton Blommetjies.

 

 

The converted try brought them within one point from the Cheetahs. Steyn, however, kicked another penalty kick in the 77th minute to extend the lead with 3 minutes to play. Griquas continued the fight to the end putting in phase after phase. In the end Cheetahs managed to secure victory by 4 points.