On Friday, the Cheetahs were forced to share the spoils with the Pumas. While they walked away with two points, a full haul would have been far more ideal.

After a delay of more than an hour due to lightning in the vicinity of the Toyota Stadium, the match eventually got underway, but the action was short-lived.

 Just 24 minutes in, players were forced off the field again. At that stage, the scores were locked at 7–7, with Gustav du Rand crossing for the Pumas before Chucky van der Westhuizen hit back for the hosts.

Marco Jansen van Vuren. Photo: Morgan Piek

Following another lengthy delay, play resumed briefly, but only ten more minutes were possible. Clinton Swart slotted a penalty to edge the Pumas 10–7 ahead before the game was suspended for a second time and ultimately called off.

With Currie Cup Premier Division spots up for grabs, a top-four finish is non-negotiable for the Free Staters. However, there are still some tricky fixtures ahead, including clashes with the Griffons in Welkom and the Suzuki Griquas in Bloemfontein.

Winger Prince Nkabinde told OFM Sport that missing out on maximum points was frustrating, especially as the match was building into a compelling contest and the Cheetahs were beginning to gain the upper hand.

“Friday night was pretty disappointing, but the weather is something we simply can’t control,” said Nkabinde.

“There are rules and regulations in place, and we have to respect them. It’s tough because it’s the second time this season we’ve had a game disrupted like this, after what happened against Ulster earlier in the year in the EPCR Challenge Cup.

“It was a proper arm wrestle while it lasted. At seven-all, both sides were in it, and it was a really good contest. The Pumas put us under a lot of pressure, especially after the second stoppage, but I thought our defence held up well.”

George Lourens. Photo: Morgan Piek

“We were starting to build some confidence, and I believe if we had continued, we could have gotten more reward by playing in the right areas.”

Nkabinde added that they now have another opportunity on Saturday against the Elephants, although he expects a tough outing against what is traditionally an unpredictable side.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t finish the game, but that’s out of our hands now.” 

Pieter Jansen van Vuren. Photo: Morgan Piek

“Our focus shifts to this weekend at home against Eastern Province. They’re another quality side, but we’ll concentrate on ourselves, look to turn the pressure into something positive, and make sure we get the result.”

Saturday’s clash between the Cheetahs and Eastern Province at Shimla Park on the University of the Free State campus kicks off at 15:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg