The visitors from the Free State found themselves on the back foot early on, trailing 17-5 at the break as the Eagles, coached by Heyneke Meyer, went in search of a fifth straight win. But the Cheetahs’ bench made a decisive impact after the interval, shifting the momentum and ultimately the result.

It was the Cheetahs who struck first at Outeniqua Park, somewhat against the run of play, when hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg powered over from a driving maul. 

The response from the hosts was immediate and emphatic, with former Cheetahs and Griffons loose forward Ulrich Stander crossing from a maul of their own.

Marko Janse van Rensburg. Photo: Morgan Piek

Stander soon doubled his tally, completing a brace as the Eagles tightened their grip on the contest. Matters worsened for the visitors when captain Neels Volschenk and loosehead prop Tielman Nieuwoudt were both sent to the sin bin.  Ill-discipline proved costly, with the Cheetahs conceding ten penalties in the first half compared to just two by SWD, allowing the hosts to take a 12-5 lead into the sheds.

The Eagles came out firing after the restart, with winger Kyle Cyster finishing off their third try. Former Cheetahs flyhalf Fred Zeilinga added the extras to stretch the advantage to 12 points, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb.

A turning point came with an injury to Janse van Rensburg, who had been one of the Cheetahs’ standout performers. His replacement, Juan Smal, made an immediate impact, crashing over for two quick-fire tries from rolling mauls. Suddenly, the tide turned as the Eagles began to feel the pressure and concede penalties of their own. The Cheetahs edged ahead by a slender two-point margin, setting up a tense finish.

Juan Smal. Photo: Morgan Piek

With time running out, replacement scrumhalf Marco Jansne van Vuren sealed the deal, diving over in the corner to not only secure the bonus point but also deny the Eagles a losing bonus point in a match where they had looked the better side for long stretches.

The crucial win sees the Cheetahs move into a strong position on the log for the first time this season. However, a demanding run-in awaits, with away fixtures against the Valke in Kempton Park and the Border Bulldogs in East London, before a home clash against the Suzuki Griquas.

Captain Volschenk admitted his side made life difficult for themselves but praised their resilience.

“Unfortunately for us, we’re stuck in a pattern where we put ourselves under unnecessary pressure by conceding soft penalties and making unforced errors,” said Volschenk.

“That’s something we’ll need to address and improve on going forward. Against SWD, though, credit must go to the players for staying in the fight and committing for the full 80 minutes. We managed to close the game out in the final 20 minutes.

“It wasn’t the prettiest win, but a win is a win, and we’ll gladly take the five points, especially with how it helps our position on the SA Cup log.

Marco Jansen van Vuren. Photo: Morgan Piek

“That said, you’re only as good as your last performance, and it doesn’t get any easier with our next fixture against the Valke. They’ve shown throughout the SA Cup that they’re a quality outfit. We know we’ll have to be much better, and we’ve definitely got our work cut out for us.”

Elsewhere, the Griquas thumped the Eastern Province Elephants 52-9 in Gqeberha, while the Pumas demolished the Leopards 85-0 in Nelspruit. The Valke, meanwhile, caused an upset with a 68-36 win over the Griffons in Welkom.

Saturday’s clash between the Valke and the Cheetahs at Barnard Stadium in Kempton Park kicks off at 15:00.

Scorers:

SWD: Tries – Ulrich Stander 2, Kyle Cyster Conv. – Fred Zeilinga

Cheetahs: Tries – Marko Janse van Rensburg, Juan Smal 2, Marco Jansen van Vuren Conv. – Jaco van der Walt 3

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg