What made the defeat particularly galling for the Bloemfontein outfit was the position they had worked themselves into by half-time. After conceding two early tries and trailing 14–3 inside the opening quarter, the Cheetahs showed real grit and composure to claw their way back, dominate territory and possession, and head into the break with a deserved 17–14 lead.

All that hard work, however, unravelled in the space of a few chaotic minutes after the restart. Lapses in concentration and basic execution opened the door for the French giants – and they burst through without hesitation.

Joe Marchant. Photo: Stade Français

Stade Français struck first in the sixth minute when Thibault Motassi powered over after sustained pressure in the red zone, before a clever grubber bounced perfectly for Joe Marchant to dot down the French team’s second. At that stage, the Cheetahs were under the pump, particularly at scrum time, and struggling to gain any real foothold.

Slowly but surely, though, they clawed their way back. A solid lineout and a powerful driving maul finally yielded reward when hooker and captain Chucky van der Westhuizen crashed over. That try sparked belief, and the Cheetahs began to impose themselves physically, especially through their forward pack.

Just before the break, another maul splintered the French defence, and the recycled ball was shifted wide, where Munier Hartzenberg showed electric footwork and strength to beat two defenders and score a superb try. Suddenly, the Cheetahs were in front, with confidence flowing as they dominated the closing stages of the first half.

That momentum, however, evaporated almost instantly after half-time.

Just two minutes into the second stanza, scrumhalf Marco Jansen van Vuuren’s clearance kick was charged down behind the ruck deep inside his own 22. Iakopo Mapu pounced on the loose ball to score, and barely had the Cheetahs regathered when Motassi struck again from long range, slicing through a fractured defensive line.

Noah Nene. Photo: Stade Français

In the blink of an eye, a 17–14 lead had become a 28–17 deficit, and the Cheetahs were suddenly chasing shadows.

From there on, it was largely one-way traffic. A steady stream of unforced errors handed Stade Français both possession and territory, and the visitors were ruthless in making it count. Noah Nene and man of the match Juan Martín Scalzo crossed as the French side turned the screw, while a penalty goal only compounded the Cheetahs’ misery.

The hosts’ composure deserted them in the final quarter, with concentration levels dropping and defensive systems falling apart – fatal flaws at this level of European competition. Stade Français added further gloss to the scoreboard with another try that underlined their clinical edge and consistency.

Juan Martin Scelzo and Jandré Nel. Photo: Stade Français

There was, at least, a late moment of attacking brilliance for the Cheetahs. In the 78th minute, Hartzenberg once again broke the line from deep, and the move ended with Jandré Nel crashing over for a consolation try that briefly lifted the home crowd. By then, though, the outcome had long been decided.

The result leaves the Cheetahs pointless after two pool matches – including their first “home” fixture at their European base in Amsterdam – and with just two games remaining, their hopes of reaching the playoffs are fading fast.

There were positives in patches, with Hartzenberg and Daniel Maartens catching the eye, and the first-half fightback showing what this side is capable of. But the second-half collapse raised serious questions around mental toughness and game management – areas that will need urgent attention if the Cheetahs are to salvage any pride or momentum from their Challenge Cup campaign.

The Cheetahs’ next game is on 11 January when they host Ulster in Amsterdam.

Stade Français: Tries - Thibaut Motassi 2, Joe Marchant, Iakopo Mapu, Noah Nene, Juan Martin Scelzo Conv. - Louis Foursans-Bourdette 6 Pen. - Foursans-Bourdette

Cheetahs: Tries - Chucky van der Westhuizen, Munier Hartzenberg, Jandré Nel Conv. - Cohen Jasper 2 Pen. - Jasper

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvs