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Cape Town - The Free State Cheetahs secured their fourth Currie Cup victory in succession, with a 20-14 win over defending champions the Blue Bulls in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The hosts stole the early advantage, charging clear from their own goalline only 20 seconds after the whistle, with flanker Philip van der Walt going over at the other end to score the first try of the match.
Flyhalf Louis Strydom added the conversion to bag his 25th successful attempt at goal in succession in the competition. And while he went on to miss a penalty in the match, breaking his superb streak with the boot, he helped his side to a 7-0 lead within the first minute.
The Bulls, however, fought back immediately, with wing Jaco van der Westhuizen sidestepping Cheetahs scrum-half Tewis de Bruyn in the fourth minute to score the visitors’ first try of the game.
And while Bulls fyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter missed the conversion, he was successful with two penalty attempts in the first half.
Another penalty was controversially disallowed in the 36th minute, but the Bulls nonetheless took an 11-7 lead into the half-time break.
The Cheetahs, however, came out firing in the second half, forging ahead on attack and, while the Bulls did a tremendous job in holding them off, flanker Hendro Scholtz eventually barged over in the 57th minute.
Strydom, who had bagged three points for a penalty shortly after the break, added another two for the conversion and the home side held a comfortable 20-11 lead midway through the second half.
Potgieter narrowed the gap with a penalty 12 minutes later and the Bulls pushed forward in the dying minutes, but the hosts held on for their seventh win of the season.
Scorers:
Bulls: Tries: Jaco van der Westhuizen. Penalties: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (3).
Cheetahs: Tries: Philip van der Walt, Hendro Scholtz. Conversions: Louis Strydom (2). Penalty: Strydom (2).
The hosts stole the early advantage, charging clear from their own goalline only 20 seconds after the whistle, with flanker Philip van der Walt going over at the other end to score the first try of the match.
Flyhalf Louis Strydom added the conversion to bag his 25th successful attempt at goal in succession in the competition. And while he went on to miss a penalty in the match, breaking his superb streak with the boot, he helped his side to a 7-0 lead within the first minute.
The Bulls, however, fought back immediately, with wing Jaco van der Westhuizen sidestepping Cheetahs scrum-half Tewis de Bruyn in the fourth minute to score the visitors’ first try of the game.
And while Bulls fyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter missed the conversion, he was successful with two penalty attempts in the first half.
Another penalty was controversially disallowed in the 36th minute, but the Bulls nonetheless took an 11-7 lead into the half-time break.
The Cheetahs, however, came out firing in the second half, forging ahead on attack and, while the Bulls did a tremendous job in holding them off, flanker Hendro Scholtz eventually barged over in the 57th minute.
Strydom, who had bagged three points for a penalty shortly after the break, added another two for the conversion and the home side held a comfortable 20-11 lead midway through the second half.
Potgieter narrowed the gap with a penalty 12 minutes later and the Bulls pushed forward in the dying minutes, but the hosts held on for their seventh win of the season.
Scorers:
Bulls: Tries: Jaco van der Westhuizen. Penalties: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (3).
Cheetahs: Tries: Philip van der Walt, Hendro Scholtz. Conversions: Louis Strydom (2). Penalty: Strydom (2).
