The defending champion Pumas travel to Bloemfontein this weekend looking to repeat their heroics of 2022 against the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup final.
Cheetahs vs Pumas Currie Cup Live scores
Match report
For the sixth time in the past 18 years (and seventh overall) the Currie Cup was orange-flavoured as the Cheetahs set off ecstatic celebrations in Bloemfontein with a measured 25-17 (halftime 18-11) final victory over the Pumas.
The Cheetahs deserved their title – their first since 2019 – and although the magnificent Pumas once again demonstrated their intensity and resilience, Hawies Fourie’s team always had the answers and never seemed to be taken entirely out of their comfort zone.
It was close throughout however and had the entranced Toyota Stadium crowd of 33 804 often on the edge of its proverbial seat, but there was to be no repeat of the defending champions’ eyebrow-raising 61-21 victory at this same ground in March.
Instead, the power of the Cheetahs pack at the set phase, the steady boot and direction of veteran flyhalf Ruan Pienaar, and hungry defence in front of their own fans saw them deliver a champion’s performance.
The moment the new champions put one hand on the 132-year-old trophy probably came two minutes before the break with the Cheetahs’ second try. They were never headed in the match but at that point they opened a seven-point lead for the first time and although the visitors were to close to just one during the second half, the Cheetahs always had control.
Up until that point Pienaar and Pumas flyhalf Tinus de Beer had exchanged two penalty goals apiece and each team had scored a solitary try to leave the scores level at 11-11. Reinhardt Fortuin (centre) got the hosts’ first from no more than a metre when he stretched out to ground after a succession of pick-and-go’s after 30 minutes.
The never-say-die Airlink Pumas hit back four minutes later with a skillful score from centre Ali Mgijima who took a scoring pass at close range from right wing Andrew Qamani Kota, collecting a De Beer kick-pass and immediately offloading to his overlapping colleague.
But the breakthrough moment came just before half time. That Cheetahs pack power allowed them to rumble a driven lineout maul for 20 metres to just short of the goal-line. The pick-and-go option was ignored however, and the ball was swung quickly to the left where wing Cohen Jasper dived in joyously for a crucial score wide out. Pienaar, who had missed an early conversion from the same place, was on target the second time.
De Beer hit back with his third and fourth penalty goals at the start of the new half, but the hosts edged themselves two scores ahead with a third try – sweetly converted from the touchline by Pienaar – after 52 minutes. Scrumhalf Rewan Kruger darted in from five metres in the left-hand corner after the ball popped unexpectedly loose from a driving maul.
There were thrills and spills from there to the final whistle with the clearest winner being the Cheetahs’ defence which repeatedly confounded attacking positions of the visitors, either by wining the turnover or forcing the error.
De Beer missed the chance to add a fifth penalty with four minutes to go to close the gap to a single score as the party began to ratchet up as the final whistle sent the crowd into raptures.
Scorers:
Toyota Cheetahs 25 (18) – Tries: Reinhardt Fortuin, Cohen Jasper, Rewan Kruger. Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (2). Penalty goals: Pienaar (2).
Airlink Pumas 17 (11) – Try: Ali Mgijima. Penalty goals: De Beer (4).
Currie Cup final: Teams
Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 David Brits, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Friedle Olivier, 7 Sibabalo Qoma, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Nqobisizwe Moxoli.
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Jeandre Rudolph, 20 George Cronje, 21 Daniel Maartens, 22 Siyabonga Masuku 23 Robert Ebersohn.
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Andrew Kota, 13 Diego Appollis, 12 Ali Mgijima, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Francois Kleinhans, 6 Andre Fouche, 5 Shane Kirkwood (captain), 4 Deon Slabbert, 3 Simon Raw, 2 Pieter Jacobs, 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Darnell Osuagwu. 17 Etienne Janeke, 18 Dewald Maritz, 19 Malembe Mpofu, 20 Ruwald van der Merwe, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Gene Willemse, 23 Wian van Niekerk.
Match Information, Kick-off time
Date: Saturday, June 24
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 16.00 (14.00 GMT)
Expected weather: High of 22°C, low of -1°C
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: AM Jacobs, Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Egon Seconds
LIVE stream: DStv Now
