The unbeaten Toyota Cheetahs put in a big performance to power past the Cell C Sharks, cruising to a 44-15 (halftime 24-10) win in their Carling Currie Cup clash at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.
The Sharks were no match for a rampant Cheetahs side that ran in six tries to their two, as the home side picked up a solid bonus-point win to go back to the top of the table.
The Cheetahs started the game on the front foot, immediately taking play into the Sharks half, where flyhalf Siya Masuku stepped a player and burst into the 22m before being stopped just short, with the recycled ball finding lock Victor Sekekete to dive over for the opening score.
Scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar’s conversion gave them a 7-0 lead after just four minutes, before flyhalf Boeta Chamberlain got the Sharks on the board with a successful penalty three minutes later.
The Cheetahs were in all-out attack mode and they were soon in for their second try as left-wing Rosko Specman made the break. He was tackled just short but got the offload to hooker Marnus van der Merwe following up well to power over for an unconverted try in the 12th minute.
The Sharks then hit back well as they got into the Cheetahs’ half and attacked down the short side, with outside centre Jeremy Ward breaking into the 22m and putting scrumhalf Cameron Wright in for a converted score, making it 12-10 after 16 minutes.
However, the Cheetahs then took control of the rest of the half, running in two more tries to bring up their bonus point in the first half.
The Cheetahs got into the Sharks 22m before spreading the ball to right-wing Daniel Kasende, who then found fullback Cohen Jasper on his inside to score, making it 17-10 after 29 minutes.
On the stroke of halftime, the Cheetahs then attacked from a scrum deep in the Sharks 22m, eventually ending with flank Andisa Ntsila going over, with Pienaar’s extras giving them a big lead at the break.
The home side then picked up where they left off in the second half as Kasende made a break from his own half into the Sharks 22m, with the ball quickly spread to the other side of the field where eighthman Mihlali Mosi sprinted over for the converted score.
The Sharks then finally hit back with some good play, earning penalties that led to Cheetahs replacement prop Cameron Dawson being yellow carded. That saw the Sharks set up a 5m lineout and rumble their maul over, with the replacement hooker dotting down the unconverted score to make it 31-15 after 53 minutes.
A Pienaar penalty in the 58th minute and a Masuku penalty in the 69th minute pushed the Cheetahs further ahead at 37-15.
The home side then completed the match in fitting fashion as a massive maul from a lineout in the Sharks 22m saw the Cheetahs stopped just short, with replacement hooker Louis van der Westhuizen breaking off and diving over to score. Masuku’s extras represented the final points.
Scorers
Cheetahs: – Tries:Victor Sekekete, Marnus van der Merwe, Cohen Jasper, Andisa Ntsila, Mihlali Mosi, Louis van der Westhuizen; Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (3), Siya Masuku; Penalties: Pienaar, Masuku
Sharks: – TriesCameron Wright, Dan Jooste; Conversions: Boeta Chamberlain; Penalties: Chamberlain.