The Cheetahs produced a masterclass of pressure play to claim their seventh Currie Cup title and dethrone the Pumas 25-17 in the final in Bloemfontein.
The Cheetahs dominated possession for most of the match while the Pumas were made to defend for long periods, and this time round, unlike their semifinal against the Sharks last week, defence did not bring them victory.
With two minutes to go in the match, celebrations started in the stands as the Bloemfontein faithful watched their team secure another turn-over and the last scrum of the match was set on the middle line.
The Cheetahs scored three tries to the one of the Pumas, the first only in the 28th minute when Reinhardt Fortuin dived over in the corner.
The first 25 minutes were dictated by the boot of the two flyhalves, Pienaar and the Pumas’ Tinus de Beer, and kept the score at 6-6.
The Pumas fought back valiantly and managed to send over Aliqhayiya Mgijima five minutes after Fortuin scored.
The Cheetahs took the lead into halftime as a massive rolling maul marched 30 metres before the ball was telegraphed wide to winger Cohen Jasper,. who had enough gas to go in at the corner. Ruan Pienaar’s boot made it an 18-11 halftime score.
The Pumas clawed their way back early in the second half through the boot of De Beer, even though he seemed to be struggling with a knee strain, but just like that two more penalties and the Pumas were just a point behind.
The Cheetahs knew they needed something special to win the day, as the sides were just too closely matched all afternoon.
And in the end it was a bit of fortunate luck that gave them an opening. From a rolling maul, hooker Marnus van der Merwe lose the ball backwards, but was quick to scoop it up, giving just a moment’s hesitation to the defence.
Van der Merwe shifted the ball to Rewan Kruger, the nippy scrumhalf who was a thorn in the flesh of the visitors all afternoon and he had just enough space and pace to beat the tackle and go over to score.
Pienaar’s boot made it 25-17 and the Pumas became more desperate.
They had a moment late in the game to give themselves a chance when De Beer had a penalty within range to give them a chance of victory, but he pushed it wide and the Cheetahs held out.
And when Pienaar sent the ball into the stands to start the celebrations, it was just reward for Hawies Fourie’s side who had endured so much, but had found glory through determination.
Scorers:
For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Fortuin, Kruger, Cohen
Cons: Pienaar 2
Pens: Pienaar 2
For the Pumas:
Tries: Mgimima
Cons: De Beer
Pens: De Beer 3
My Goat Sports 