The Cheetahs stumbled at the final hurdle during their round-nine clash against the Griquas in Kimberley, conceding two late tries to lose 31–29, despite being in control for most of the match.

In the first half, the Cheetahs applied pressure on the Griquas’ lineouts, while they gained the upper hand in the scrums after the break. Both sides created numerous scoring opportunities, and the Cheetahs were left ruing missed chances, especially in the first 40 minutes.

Pieter Jansen van Vuren and Pierre Uys. Photo: Morgan Piek

The biggest challenge for the Cheetahs was maintaining their performance across the full 80 minutes. While they faltered at the end, some factors were out of their control in the dying moments. 

Still, the team that narrowly lost on Saturday is a far cry from the side that went down 45–29 to the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington in round one back in March.

Head coach Frans Steyn told OFM Sport that while a win would have been ideal, what matters most is that the team continues to show improvement, as they did against the Griquas, and they now have another opportunity this weekend.

“I think things are starting to fall into place; it’s what we’ve been working towards. We’re beginning to play better rugby, and now it’s just about improving each week,” said Steyn.

“I think we did that this week, even though we lost. That’s rugby. We’ll get another chance next week, and we need to make the most of it. We’re not coming in with a bunch of new plans, but next week we’ll definitely bring a few.”

One of the standout performers was George Lourens, who continued to show growth in his game. According to Steyn, Lourens is a prime example of what the Cheetahs are trying to achieve in the SA Cup as they build towards the Currie Cup.

Frans Steyn. Photo: Morgan Piek

“I’m happy, it’s a good problem to have,” Steyn added. “It’s great to have depth at flyhalf and across other positions too. What we did well during the SA Cup was give players opportunities, and many of them have stepped up.

“They’ve delivered, and you really can’t fault the effort. There were a few mistakes here and there, but the intent and commitment we showed, compared to where we started against Boland, I’m happy with that.

“If that’s all we take into the Currie Cup from the SA Cup, I’ll take it.”

Saturday’s eagerly anticipated SA Cup semi-final between the Griquas and the Cheetahs at the Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley kicks off at 15:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek mvh