Publications
Partners
Looking to recover after losing to the Sharks last weekend, the Pretoria-based side came out fighting, and a try in the dying seconds of the encounter clinched victory for the visitors.
The first points of the match came from the boot of Bulls flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter as he slotted a penalty in the 12th minute.
Potgieter was again called into action five minutes later and kicked another penalty to stretch the Bulls lead to six points.
The Cheetahs finally got on the scoreboard shortly thereafter as flyhalf Willie du Plessis kicked a penalty of his own to reduce the lead to three.
Cheetahs scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius was yellow-carded for a professional foul, and the visitors cashed-in by scoring their first try.
Bulls wing Sampie Mastriet scored an unconverted try as the visitors used the extra man to their advantage.
Du Plessis kicked another penalty with Pretorius still in the bin to reduce the Bulls lead to just five points, and repeated the feat shortly after as Potgieter was also yellow carded for a professional foul.
The score remained 11-9 in favour of the Bulls as the sides went to the break.
Potgieter extended his side's lead once more with a penalty shortly after the interval, but Du Plessis responded with a three-pointer of his own to keep the Cheetahs in the contest.
Discipline remained an issue on both sides with Bulls lock Paul Willemse also yellow carded for collapsing the Cheetahs maul. The result was a try for Cheetahs scrumhalf Pretorius, which Du Plessis converted to make the score 19-14 in favour of the hosts, giving them the lead for the first time in the game.
The Bulls regained the lead as lock Grant Hattingh dotted down after some good momentum and Potgieter did the rest with his boot to give the visitors a two point lead.
Du Plessis, who had a good night with the boot, kicked a drop-goal eight minutes from full-time to give the Cheetahs a one point lead.
But Potgieter kicked a penalty and Mastriet scored his second try after the Bulls charged down another drop attempt by Du Plessis. Potgieter had the last say as he kicked the conversion.
Scorers:Free State Cheetahs:
Try: Sarel Pretorius
Conversion: Willie du Plessis
Penalties: Du Plessis (4)
Drop goal: Du Plessis
Blue Bulls:
Tries: Sampie Mastriet (2), Grant Hattingh
Conversions: Jacques-Louis Potgieter (2)
Penalties: Potgieter (4)
Teams:
Free State Cheetahs
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Rayno Benjamin, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Willie du Plessis, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jean Cook, 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Henco Venter, 3 George Marich, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld (captain), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Werner Lourens, 19 Neil Claassen, 20 Shaun Venter, 21 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 22 JP du Plessis
Blue Bulls
15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Jacques Louis Potgieter, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Jono Ross, 7 Jacques du Plessis, 6 Deon Stegmann (captain), 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Dean Greyling
Substitutes: 16 Callie Visagie, 17 Morne Mellet, 18 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 19 Wiaan Liebenberg, 20 Rudy Paige, 21 Tian Schoeman, 22 Jesse Kriel
