It was a clinical second-half display from the Free Staters, who turned the screw after the break to record their biggest win in the Free State derby in recent years. The result will do wonders for confidence, especially with a far sterner test awaiting them next.

The bonus-point win sees the Cheetahs move into the semi-final spots, but there’s still plenty of work to be done. With tough fixtures against the SWD Eagles, Valke and Suzuki Griquas on the horizon, there is little margin for error if they hope to secure qualification for the Currie Cup Premier Division.

The hosts didn’t have it all their own way early on. Ill-discipline allowed the Griffons to gain the upper hand in the opening exchanges, putting the Cheetahs under pressure. However, once they tightened things up, it became largely one-way traffic.

In fact, it turned into one of their more disciplined performances in recent memory - although hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg did spend ten minutes in the sin bin.

Head coach Frans Steyn admitted there is still room for improvement, but was pleased with how his side ground out an important result.

Daniel Maartens, Neels Volschenk, and Dehovine Johannes - Morgan Piek

“We struggled at the beginning and we knew it was going to be tough, but the guys stuck to the structures well and managed to break the Griffons down,” said Steyn.

“Mentally, that’s massive for us, especially considering how we’ve battled here in recent years.”

Despite the convincing scoreline, Steyn believes both discipline and defence still need sharpening.

“It was a good performance, but there’s still a lot to work on. Our tackling wasn’t good enough today - we fell off too many, and that’s simply unacceptable.

“Our discipline needs attention. We’re conceding silly penalties and trying to do too much individually. We need to trust the system, stick to it, and drive it properly.”

There were, however, plenty of positives - particularly up front, where the Cheetahs’ forwards laid a strong platform that allowed the backline to unleash their trademark attacking rugby.

“It was great to see the forwards playing with confidence and moving the ball, but our decision-making around that needs to improve if we want to compete with the top sides.

Jared Kruger and Curtly Thomas - Morgan Piek

“We’ve got to keep improving every week. If we want to match teams like Boland, Griquas and SWD, we’ll need to be much better going forward.”

One of the standout performers off the bench was replacement hooker Juan Smal, who made a big impact in just his second appearance for the Cheetahs. He capped off his performance with a try and showed exactly why he is so highly rated.

Steyn was full of praise for the Junior Springbok and believes he has a bright future ahead.

Juan Smal brought a lot of energy onto the park - Morgan Piek

“I think he’s one of the guys. He listens and just does his role - and he does it very well,” Steyn added.

“We’re really happy we signed him, and I think for the Free State, he’s a very bright star coming through.”

The Cheetahs now turn their attention to a tricky away clash against the third-placed SWD Eagles in George. The Eagles, coached by Heyneke Meyer, boast several former Free State players, including Fred Zeilinga, Ulrich Stander, Andell Loubser and Abner van Reenen.

Saturday’s encounter at Outeniqua Park is set to kick off at 15:00.

Scorers:

Griffons: Try – Jandré de Beer Conv. – Dehovine Johannes Pen. – Keegan Schaefer

Cheetahs: Tries – Daniel Maartens, Cohen Jasper 2, Tielman Nieuwoudt, Michael Annies 2, Juan Smal, Marco Janse van Vuren, Penalty Try Conv. – Jaco van der Walt 4, Clayton Blommetjies

Morgan Piek OFM Sport