Cheetahs outgunned on their Pro14 debut

The Cheetahs provided some bright moments on their first appearance in the Pro14 but were ultimately outclassed 42-19 by Ireland’s Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.

Much like their exploits in Super Rugby, Rory Duncan’s troops looked dangerous on the attack but lacked the balance and concentration to stay competitive.

It was ultimately a harsh introduction to European rugby but hopefully the central franchise will absorb this lesson.

Who was the star in this match?

There was a time when Robbie Diack had Western Province very excited over his potential before South Africa’s depth at loose forward saw him head overseas.

In the meantime, he’s qualified for Ireland and made his Test debut in 2014.

On Friday, Diack showed his versatility by knuckling down at lock and delivering a fine if underrated performance.

He was bruising in the collisions, reliable in the line-outs and showed some beautiful hands in a few of Ulster’s attacking moves.

Key themes and moments

• The Cheetahs are an attractive team to watch when they get it right. But they fundamentally remain an unbalanced side. There was a willingness to vary their play at some stages yet they need to learn to keep the game tighter at certain stages. Running rugby won’t always work in European conditions.
• Blindside flanker Henco Venter’s yellow card for deliberately pulling down the maul was a turning point. From leading 14-8, the Cheetahs collapsed in those 10 minutes. They conceded three tries and lost their grip on the game. Ulster’s clinical set-plays against a compromised defence were impressive.
• Talking of defence, the Cheetahs need to tighten up in this department as well. It isn’t always easy tackling in broken play but the fact that Ulster scored three tries from what looked like planned moves suggests the Free Staters need to read play a bit better.
• The Cheetahs’ backline remains the jewel in their crown. There’s pace and skill among the back three of Sergeal Petersen, Makazole Mapimpi and Rosko Specman. If the pack – who were decent in the set-pieces – can provide an even better platform, the Cheetahs could be dangerous.

Point scorers

Ulster – Try: Tommy Bowe, Alan O’Connor, Stuart McCloskey, Charlie Piutau, Louis Ludik, Peter Nelson. Conversions: John Cooney (2), Nelson. Penalties: John Cooney (2).

Cheetahs – Tries: Clayton Blommetjies, Makazole Mapimpi, Sergeal Petersen. Conversions: William Small-Smith (2).