Faf de Klerk scored an 80th-minute try as the Cheetahs pipped the Stormers XXIII at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday.
With the scores locked at 26-26, the visitors took the ball through 29 phases before the Springbok scrumhalf dotted down in the left corner to secure a 31-26 win.
The five log points propelled the Cheetahs to second on the Currie Cup standings after four rounds, with the Stormers’ two bonus points moving them up to sixth.
The hosts dominated the opening 10 minutes of the match and were held up twice over the tryline before scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer scored from close range. Captain Jean-Luc du Plessis slotted the conversion.
The Cheetahs hit back immediately when winger Prince Nkabinde darted over from the back of a ruck but flyhalf Zander du Plessis couldn’t add the extras. Hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg then had a try disallowed due to obstruction at the maul,
The visitors went down to 14 men in the 32nd minute when lock Simon Miller was yellow-carded for slapping the ball out of Ungerer’s hands at a ruck. And the hosts took full advantage, with hooker Vernon Paulo’s try making it 14-5 at the break.
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Restored to 15, the Cheetahs struck early in the second half with a try from captain Neels Volschenk, converted by Du Plessis.
The Stormers regained their nine-point lead when Wandile Mlaba barged over the line, but the replacement loose forward was yellow-carded for a tip-tackle soon after and a charged-down kick led to winger Michael Annies’ try for the Cheetahs.
Stormers flank Xola Nyali’s deliberate knock-on then resulted in a yellow card, a penalty try and a 26-21 lead for the visitors with 10 minutes remaining.
Mlaba returned to the field to score his second try for the Stormers, but replacement fullback Kyle Smith’s conversion drifted wide.
The Free Staters finished strongly, with De Klerk’s try rounding off a Man of the Match performance from the 34-year-old.
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In round five, the Stormers travel to Nelspruit to take on the Pumas, while the Cheetahs face the winless Bulls XV at Loftus.
STORMERS XXIII – Tries: Stefan Ungerer, Vernon Paulo, Wandile Mlaba (2). Conversions: Jean-Luc du Plessis (3).
CHEETAHS – Tries: Prince Nkabinde, Neels Volschenk, Michael Annies, penalty try, Faf de Klerk. Conversions: Zander du Plessis (2).
Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images
The post Fantastic Faf snatches victory for Cheetahs appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Faf de Klerk scored an 80th-minute try as the Cheetahs pipped the Stormers XXIII at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday. With the scores locked at 26-26, the visitors took the ball through 29 phases before the Springbok scrumhalf dotted down in the left corner to secure a 31-26 win. The five log points propelled the Cheetahs to second… Read more →
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