Angelo Davids (right) of Western Province is challenged by Michael Annies of Cheetahs during the 2024 Currie Cup game between Western Province and the Cheetahs at Cape Town Stadium on 10 August 2024. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky, BackpagePix
TWO tries on either side of the half-time whistle turned the tide for the Cheetahs as they fought back from a 13-0 deficit to claim a bonus point 26-19 victory over Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday.
It was a rainy and windy evening in the Mother City, but that didn’t stop the home side from starting the match on the front foot as they took the game to the defending champions in the DHL Stadium.
That soon turned into a 13-0 lead thanks to a good try where their backline sliced through the Cheetahs’ defence with young centre Damian Markus running off the shoulder of flyhalf Jurie Matthee to send winger Angelo Davids over for the score.
Matthee added the conversion with three penalties, but that was about the best of the night for Western Province as they failed to convert other opportunities they created.
After conceding a couple of penalties in the scrums and kicking away possession, the Cheetahs woke up towards the latter stages of the first half and started using their experience up front to claw their way back.
Some good pick-and-go ball play around the rucks brought the first success when captain Victor Sekekete scooped up a loose ball and dived over from a couple of metres out.
About five minutes later and on the half-time whistle, a second score saw Sekekete’s lock partner Carl Wegner burrow over in the corner to reduce the scoreline to 16-12 before the muddied players went into the change room.
The game was played in atrocious conditions, but the Cheetahs adapted better with their forwards and when they started dominating the scrums in the second half, the momentum was behind them.
Winger Daniel Kasende’s try after barely a minute of play in the second half saw the Cheetahs take the lead for the first time and they never looked back.
They demolished the home side in every scrum and from penalties forced Province into their half for most of the second half. The fact that Province could only score three points in the second half, showed the dominance the Cheetahs had, although some terrible decision-making and kicks from WP didn’t help their cause.
When hardworking Cheetahs loose forward Jeandre Rudolph went over in the corner for their fourth try, off a similar pick-and-go strategy, the writing was on the wall for the Capetonians.
Replacement flyhalf Kyle Smith kicked a solitary three points for WP at the death to secure a losing bonus point as the men from Bloemfontein beat WP for the sixth time in a row.
Points scorers
Western Province 19 (16) – Try: Angelo Davids. Conversion: Jurie Matthee. Penalties: Matthee (3), Kyle Smith.
Cheetahs 26 (12) – Tries: Victor Sekekete, Carl Wegner, Daniel Kasende, Jeandre Rudolph. Conversions: Ethan Wentzel (2), Reinhardt Fortuin.
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