With two tries apiece, the scores were deadlocked 12-12 at half-time in the small Free State town, about an hour’s drive from Bloemfontein, in what turned out to be a real rugby festival.

While the Peacock Blues managed to beat the Cheetahs for a third straight time, it was arguably more a case of the Bloemfontein side being their own worst enemies. Unforced errors and poor execution, particularly at lineout time, proved costly, as their set pieces on their own throw-in were below par.

The Griquas’ fortunes did, however, change when the seasoned flyhalf George Whitehead took to the field in the second stanza, and he was hugely instrumental in them getting the upper hand.

Cheetahs vs. Griquas in Bultfontein. Photo: Cheetahs

That said, these are the kinds of mistakes you’d rather see in a warm-up game than in round one of the Currie Cup, when the Cheetahs open their campaign against the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington later this month.

There were plenty of standout performances on both sides, and the Cheetahs will be especially pleased with how well their young props stepped up. Frankie dos Reis, Ben Pitout and Malcolm Lamondt all had solid hit-outs, while Ramon Uys and Ntokozuko Makhaza also impressed in their unofficial Cheetahs debuts.

That said, Griquas coach Pieter Bergh would have been the happier of the two coaches, despite losing their captain on the day, Phumzile Maqondwana, within the opening minute or so.

Bergh told OFM Sport that they were targeting a win to build confidence within the group. He was particularly pleased with the performances of his new props and scrumhalf Caleb Abrahams.

“We wanted to win this game – there were no log points at stake, but for the confidence of the group, I think it was a crucial result,” said Bergh.

“A lot of new players got valuable game time. I was very happy with our two young tightheads, Shezi and Johan Bom Louw, who’ve come in from the Varsity Cup. They really got stuck in and scrummed well.

“A guy like Caleb Abrahams also played 40 minutes in the second half and did really well, especially considering he’s only been with us for a week.

Cheetahs vs. Griquas in Bultfontein. Photo: Cheetahs

“Defensively, I was very pleased. Our contact work and physicality were a step up from the SA Cup, which is something we’ve worked hard on during our four-week pre-season.

“We knew we had to lift that ahead of the Currie Cup, and this game was a good hit-out for us.”

The Griquas’ next two warm-up matches will be against the Boland Cavaliers and Western Province, while the Cheetahs are set to face Georgia in Bloemfontein.

Lastly, a huge shout-out must go to the town of Bultfontein and its people for putting on a fantastic event at Carpe Diem Park. It was a well-attended day filled with energy, excitement, and of course, those big steaks deserve legendary status!

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg