The Cheetahs kept their Currie Cup hopes alive with a stunning 37-10 victory over the Sharks in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon.
It was an error-strewn performance from the visitors, who could not hang on to the ball, a fact made worse by their forward pack being dominated by the Cheetahs.
The Cheetahs took just 28 seconds to open the scoring under the brilliant Bloemfontein sun. A great kickoff was contested by Rosko Specman and scooped up by Andisa Ntsila, who almost went the distance. Captain Carl Wegner would then power over two phases later.
The scores were levelled just two minutes later with an intercept try from Sharks winger Yaw Penxe, who snapped up a pass that was never on and cantered over from 35m out.
With the Cheetahs getting ascendency in the forwards, they used their scrum as a base to attack from the Sharks' 22m. A powerful run from Frans Steyn set up hooker Marnus van der Merwe to strike from close range. Steyn's successful conversion took the score to 14-7.
The Sharks' ill-discipline continued to cost them, with a couple penalties from Steyn, including a 55m bomb, extending the Cheetahs lead to 20-7. Curwin Bosch brought it back with a penalty of his own, but the hosts would finish the half with authority, capitalising on another Sharks handling error that led to replacement fullback Rhyno Smith going over in the corner.
The Sharks would be handed a lifeline as the Cheetahs were then reduced to 13 men early in the second half. Rosko Specman earned a yellow card for a late tackle, while prop Boan Venter's shoulder made contact with John Hubert-Meyer's head, sending him off the park on a stretcher.
Despite this, the Cheetahs forwards continued to dominate and scrummed the Sharks off the ball to release the pressure. So much so, that they would weather the storm and even earn another penalty which Steyn popped over to make it 30-10.
Smith would cross the whitewash once again with a few minutes to spare, but the pass from Jeandré Rudolph - who was superb all day at Free State Stadium - was deemed forward.
With time up on the clock and the Sharks looking to score their first try since the third minute of the match, the almost inevitable turnover gave the home side a chance to clinch a deserved bonus point. And clinch it they did, as the energetic Venter would barrel his way over the line in the 83rd minute.
Scorers
Cheetahs - 37 (27)
Tries: Nico Wegner, Marnus van der Merwe, Rhyno Smith, Boan Venter
Conversions: Frans Steyn (4)
Penalties: Steyn (3)
Sharks - 10 (10)
Tries: Yaw Penxe
Conversion: Curwin Bosch
Penalty: Bosch
Teams
Cheetahs
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruben de Haas, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Carl Wegner (captain), 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Boan Venter
Substitutes: 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 (captain), 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
Substitutes: 16 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Werner Kok, 23 Aphelele Fassi.
- TEAMtalk media.