The Cheetahs beat the Pumas 17-16 in Bloemfontein on Friday in what was their first win of the 2021 campaign.

The Cheetahs are still at the bottom of the log in the competition for the time being.

The stand-in coach, Charl Strydom, emphasised the importance of the win.

“It is really big for us. The team that they put out against us has probably been together for two years and we had to scramble over the last couple of weeks to get a team together.

“This was only our second game in the Currie Cup.

“We knew that it was going to be a bit of an arm wrestle and the guys stuck to the game plan that we had. It wasn't pretty but the confidence will come.”

Meanwhile, the Cheetahs captain, Ruan Pienaar, lauded his troops for their effort on the part and he feels that they epitomised the character of the province.

“A lot of character and a lot of heart shown. That is what this province is about.

“We've been through a lot of ups and downs over the last 12 to 15 months, so it was great to get a win.

“It's a much better feeling than the loss we had against the Griquas. It was a really good Pumas team, so - very proud and grateful for the win.

This week the Cheetahs tackle the Lions at 14:45 on Saturday afternoon at Ellis Park.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport