The victory lifted the Pumas into third place, while the Cheetahs moved above Suzuki Griquas thanks to the bonus point. The Griquas will, however, face Boland on Sunday in the last game before the playoffs.

The hosts made their intentions clear from the opening whistle, playing at a frantic pace and punishing the Cheetahs whenever an opening appeared. Sango Xamlashe opened the scoring after spotting a gap and bursting through untouched.

Carel-Jan Coetzee. Photo: Morgan Piek

The Pumas soon put the Cheetahs under pressure at scrum time. After two powerful scrums, the hosts worked their way into the red zone and their forwards drove over for a second try in the 11th minute, putting them 14-0 ahead.

The Cheetahs were struggling to find their rhythm, but were handed a potential lifeline when Darren Adonis was yellow-carded for deliberately knocking the ball down while attempting an intercept.

However, the visitors could not make their numerical advantage count. Faf de Klerk tried to inject urgency into the Cheetahs’ attack, and his efforts were rewarded when a clever dink by Jooste Nel created space for Carel-Jan Coetzee to score.

The Pumas responded almost immediately, with Andre Goedhals crossing two minutes later to restore their 14-point advantage.

A fourth try followed after a chaotic passage of play. Following an intercepted pass, Xamlashe kicked the ball ahead, Tiaan Swanepoel failed to gather cleanly, and Van Zyl pounced to score his second try.

Despite trailing, the Cheetahs had enjoyed more territory and possession in the first half, but their inability to convert pressure into points proved costly.

The second half was just as explosive, with both teams trading tries in the opening stages. With 30 minutes remaining, the Pumas held a commanding 33-14 lead.

Swart was instrumental in keeping the hosts on the front foot, combining intelligent game management with strong attacking runs. One powerful carry helped create the opening for De Klerk to score.

The Cheetahs were struggling to cope with the Pumas’ physicality, particularly at scrum time, while their lineout and defence also came under severe pressure.

Scheepers then added another powerful five-pointer, forcing his way through the Cheetahs’ defence as the Pumas surged towards the half-century.

Adonis was later shown a second yellow card following head contact in a tackle, resulting in a red card and leaving the Pumas with 14 men for the final 20 minutes.

Stefan Coetzee scored his first try in a Cheetahs jersey. Photo: Morgan Piek

The Cheetahs sensed an opportunity, and Daniel Maartens crossed to reduce the deficit to 45-21 after De Klerk's conversion.

They needed one more try for the bonus point, and Michael Annies delivered, with his pace proving too much for the Pumas defence.

That bonus point moved the Cheetahs to the top of the standings.

The Pumas, though, had the final say. Swanepoel’s clever kick created an opportunity for Ntsika Fisanti, who followed up superbly to score the hosts’ eighth try and take them beyond 50 points.

The Pumas refused to take their foot off the pedal until the final whistle, producing a convincing victory while the Cheetahs left Nelspruit with a valuable point that could prove crucial in the race for the Currie Cup title.

As matters stand, the Cheetahs and Pumas will battle it out in Bloemfontein next Sunday in the semi-finals.

Scorers

Pumas: Tries - Sango Xamlashe, Chyle van Zyl 2, André Goedhals, JJ Scheepers 2, Tiaan de Klerk, Ntsika Fisanti Conv. - Swart 7

Cheetahs: Tries - Carel-Jan Coetzee, Stefan Venter, Daniel Maartens, Michael Annies Conv. - Tiaan Swanepoel 2, Faf de Klerk 2

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg