Free State Cheetahs edge Pumas in thriller
The Free State Cheetahs secured a last-gasp 33-32 victory over the Pumas in a Currie Cup thriller in Bloemfontein on Friday night.
Cheetahs fly-half Robbie Petzer starred as he scored and converted two tries in the final quarter to secure victory for his side.
The away side opened the scoring through a Kobus Marais penalty but the home side fired back, scoring through a converted try from scrum-half Zee Mkhabela, who showed great vision and trickery to hang onto the ball before selling an excellent dummy to dive in for his score.
The Pumas scored the game's next try through a powerful driving maul after a lineout that saw hooker Frankie Herne get over the line with Marais converting. Blitzbok Cecil Afrika then added his name to the list of try-scorers for the Cheetahs when he went through a gap to score from the right wing. The Pumas scored next after a great break from flanker Thembelani Bholi saw the ball eventually being sent wide right to Jerome Pretorius who showed great speed to score. The Pumas led 15-12 at half-time.
In the 49th minute, Willie Engelbrecht scored a converted try for the Pumas after the away side exposed the Cheetahs' lack of numbers on the left side of the field. Marais slotted another penalty before reserve forward Reinach Venter went in for the hosts. Petzer converted before scoring and converting his own try to give the Cheetahs a one point lead and a bonus point at 26-25.
The Pumas scored next through full-back Justin van Staden after he ball was brought back and passed to him on the right and he took it over the line. in the 76th minute, Petzer scored the match winning try after going past two defenders to score. He converted to give his side a 33-32 lead, which they held on to, to secure victory.
The scorers:
For Free State Cheetahs:
Tries: Mkhabela, Afrika, Venter, Petzer 2
Cons: Petzer 4
For Pumas:
Tries: Herne, Pretorius, Engelbrecht, Van Staden
Cons: Marais 3
Pens: Marais 2
Free State Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Vuyani Maqina, 13 Ali Mgijima, 12 Lloyd Greeff, 11 Cecil Afrika, 10 Robbie Petzer, 9 Zee Mkhabela, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Chris Dry (c), 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Dennis Visser, 3 Erich de Jager, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Gert Kotze
Replacements: 16 Reinach Venter, 17 Andrew Kuhn, 18 Jeremy Jordaan, 19 Nicolaas Immelman, 20 Juan-Philip Smith, 21 Jacobus Jonker, 22 Stephan Janse van Rensburg
Pumas: 15 Justin van Staden, 14 Jerome Pretorius, 13 Gerrit Smith, 12 Hennie Skorbinski (captain), 11 Ruwellyn Isbell, 10 Kobus Marais, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Brian Shabangu, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Frankie Herne, 1 Kwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Cameron Lindsay, 19 Fancois Kleinhans, 20 Hilton Lobberts, 21 Theo Maree, 22 Selom Gavor
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Jaco Kotze, Eon van Zyl
TMO: Lourens van der Merwe