Staff Reporter.
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The Toyota Cheetahs ran in three tries to secure a hard-fought 28-17 win on the road over the Airlink Pumas in the Carling Currie Cup.
Cheetahs made the trip from Bloemfontein looking to make it three wins from three in their Currie Cup campaign. It was, however, the hosts who put the first points on the board from the boot of flyhalf Eddie Fouche in the second minute.
The visitors drew level two minutes later after veteran Ruan Pienaar kicked a penalty to open his side’s account. Two tries followed, by Gideon van der Merwe and Clayton Blommetjies, to stretch the Cheetahs’ lead – good reward for ambitious and slick attacking play.
After appearing to be shell-shocked in the opening 20 minutes, the Pumas started to find their feet. They counter-punched and managed to win three penalties, all duly converted by Fouche, to inch their way back into the contest. At half time the score read 15-12 to the visitors.
The second half continued the trend of Cheetahs dominance. Louis van der Westhuizen scored five minutes after the break, with Pienaar adding the extras to stretch the Cheetahs’ lead to 10 points.
The Pumas hit back with a try of their own through Eduan Swart to keep them in the contest. However, ultimately it would prove insufficient as the Cheetahs continued to turn the screw.
Two more penalties by Pienaar and a long-distance effort from Frans Steyn put the result beyond doubt. The Cheetahs have now made it three consecutive wins in the Currie Cup and this victory takes them to the top of the table.
Meanwhile the Sharks proved too good for a young Lions team as the Durban side claimed a 43-31 bonus-point victory in a 10-try thriller in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Elsewhere Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is set for another spell on the sidelines after suffering a calf injury ahead of Toulon’s Top 14 match against Perpignan.
According to RMC Sport, the torn calf muscle is expected to keep Etzebeth out of action for the next four weeks.
Etzebeth only last weekend returned from a three-month break due to concussion protocol, his first appearance of the season against Bordeaux.
The 30-year-old will be leaving Toulon at the end of the season to join the Sharks. He has signed a deal with the Durban franchise until 2027.