Cheetahs break their duck
The Cheetahs recorded their first win of the 2008 Super 14 season with a 29-14 result against the Reds at Vodacom Park.
Last Updated: 05/04/08 6:37pm
The Cheetahs recorded their first win of the 2008 Super 14 season with a 29-14 result against the Reds at Vodacom Park.
It was a long time coming - eight games in fact - and some pundits thought it would never come at all.
However, the Cheetahs dug deep and proved that when things finally go their way they are capable of winning, and winning well.
They got off to the best possible start with a try from lock Rory Duncan after an ensuing ruck from a five metre scrum ended in the Cheetahs' skipper crashing over.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter converted and the Cheetahs were surprisingly in front.
Stunning start
To have a try inside the space of three minutes was a bonus to the home support, to have another five minutes later was almost unheard of if you were a Cheetahs' fan - especially considering their run of luck this year.
So when forgotten Springbok Meyer Bosman took an inside ball from the impressive Duanne Vermeulen and raced over, the celebratory smoke signals from the Free State locals braaing nearby could have been seen all the way in Cape Town.
Potgieter slotted over the conversion and was on hand was again to rub salt into the Reds' early wounds with a well-taken drop-goal.
When things couldn't get much worse for the Reds, it did, when two key players in the form of Chris Latham and Sam Cordingley were forced from the field with injuries.
The Cheetahs maintained their 17-0 lead throughout the first half and ran into the half-time sheds with their tails up.
They started the second half in a similar fashion to the first, Vermeulen beating the Reds' defenders for pace to complete a well-worked backline move.
Potgieter kept up his flawless kicking with another successful conversion that took his team out to an astounding 24-0 lead.
The Reds finally struck back with a try to replacement back Charlie Fetoai after sustained pressure on the Cheetahs line finally paid off. Clinton Schifcofske converted from the touchline.
Reds rally
The game continued to turn in the Reds' favour after prop CJ van der Linde was given ten minutes in the sin-bin for some uncalled for foul play in a ruck.
With only 14 men, the Cheetahs' defence was stretched to the limit and yet another replacement took full advantage when Brando Va'aulu picked up a wayward pass and darted for the corner for the Reds' second try of the night.
Schifcofske again proved his worth with the boot and slotted over yet another tough conversion, making the score 24-14 with still ten minutes left.
The Cheetahs got into a position to score with five minutes left on the clock, but a forward pass by Heinrich Brüssow to Eddie Fredericks cancelled out any celebrations.
With the game now being played at a frantic pace, the Reds found themselves in the same boat as the Cheetahs just minutes later when Van Humphries knocked on with the line begging.
The Cheetahs breathed again and clicked into a higher gear for their search for that elusive fourth-try bonus point which eventually came from centre JW Jonker.
