Cheetahs edge Sharks in Bloem
2007-09-29 19:26
Bloemfontein - Willem de Waal has kicked a penalty after the hooter to help the Free State Cheetahs snatch a 25-23 victory over the Sharks in a thrilling Currie Cup match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The game made for fantastic entertainment and spectators would have gone home satisfied they got value for their money.
The lead changed hands five times as the two teams who have dominated this year's competition locked horns in the penultimate round to determine who would end top of the log.
The Sharks initially defied the old adage of needing to secure your set pieces to get the better of your opponents.
Their forwards were shunted off their own ball at most of the scrums and somehow managed to lose more of their own lineouts than they won. Centre-cum-flyhalf Adrian Jacobs played particularly well behind a retreating pack.
The possession and territory stats confirmed that the Cheetahs were significantly dominating both departments. They played some scintillating rugby throughout but uncharacteristically made way too many handling mistakes in the first half and failed to cross the Sharks' line.
Incredibly, the Sharks went into the break leading 10-6, having scored the only try of the first half after Henno Mentz completed a great team sequence of play which had started deep in their own half after they stole the ball from the hosts for the umpteenth time.
The Cheetahs only got onto the scoreboard in the 32nd minute when De Waal slotted a drop goal then went into the lead for the first time when the dependable flyhalf kicked his third penalty in the 65th minute.
It seemed it would be game set and match when the experienced trio of Ollie le Roux, Jannie du Plessis and Heinrich Brussouw came on as substitutes to further solidify the Cheetahs scrum just as Sharks hooker Craig Burden was sent to the sin bin for a spear tackle.
The Sharks seem to be making a habit of using yellow cards to prompt them into action. Scrumhalf Rory Kockott added a penalty and veteran lock Johan Ackermann sauntered over the line following yet another turn over and brilliantly interchanged passes by majority of the team for the visitors to regain the lead.
Bulky centre Hendrik Meyer then powered over for a try that allowed the hosts to nudge ahead yet again following a lineout drive.
With two minutes to go Kockott goaled a penalty to ostensibly seal a second away victory to add to last week's win against the Bulls at Loftus. However, referee JC Fortuin awarded a penalty to the Cheetahs for offside at a ruck soon after the siren sounded.
Bloemfontein held its breath as De Waal stepped up to complete the nail-biting finish. He did not disappoint.
The win secured the Cheetahs' position at the top of the log and they are now guaranteed a home semi-final and are in pole position to host a possible final.
Scorers:
Free State Cheetahs:
Tries: Hendrik Meyer
Conversions: Willem de Waal
Penalties: De Waal (5)
Drop kicks: De Waal
Sharks:
Tries: Henno Mentz, Johan Ackermann
Conversions: Rory Kockott (2)
Penalties: Kockott (3)