Currie Cup wrap: Cheetahs seal top spot, Bulls secure semi-final berth

The Cheetahs fought back for a fantastic 31-27 bonus point win over the Bulls in their final Currie Cup pool clash at Loftus to secure top spot on the log, followed by the Sharks being thrashed 44-5 by Western Province in their game at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

The five points picked up by the Cheetahs was enough to lift them above the Sharks, securing them a possible home final if they reach it, while the Bulls crucially picked up two losing bonus points from the match that made sure of their place in the competition semi-finals.

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Western Province then produced a brilliant display to absolutely destroy the Sharks and end their seven match winning run, but it was not enough to see them make the knockouts as they finish fifth on the log.

Early deficit

In the day’s first match the Cheetahs had to battle back from a big early deficit as the Bulls started like a house on fire, racing into a 19-0 lead with three early tries.

The visitors however fought back well and were then assisted by a 37^th minute red card to Bulls eighthman Elrigh Louw, which gave them an extra man for the rest of the match which they used to their advantage to steal the win.

It was slick handling and running from the Bulls backline that got them off to the perfect start as wing Cornal Hendricks and inside centre Harold Voster, both scythed through for tries with flyhalf Morne Steyn converting one for a 12-0 lead after eight minutes.

Five minutes later they were in again, this time with lock Ruan Vermaak producing the enterprising play to open a gap for scrumhalf Embrose Papier to go through to score, with Steyn’s extras putting them into a healthy lead.

The Cheetahs fightback started in the 18^th minute as good play in the Bulls 22m ended with outside centre David Brits showing tremendous strength to get himself over the line for a try, converted by flyhalf Siya Masuku to make it 19-7.

In the 33^rd minute a strong run from fullback Tapiwa Mafura saw him breach the Bulls defence and put away wing Daniel Kasende for the try, with Masuku’s extras bringing them within five points.

Marching orders

Three minutes before the end of the half Louw was then given his marching orders after a dangerous cleanout saw his shoulder connect with a Cheetahs players head at a ruck, reducing them to 14-men for the rest of the game.

A penalty to Steyn right at the start of the second half was immediately offset by the Cheetahs running in two quick tries as Masuku and scrumhalf Rewan Kruger went in, both converted, giving the visitors a stunning 28-22 lead after 48 minutes.

The game then turned into a bit of a grind as the Bulls did everything they could to make sure they walked away with something, as Hendricks scored an unconverted second in the 61^st minute, while a 71^st minute Masuku penalty effectively made the game safe for the Cheetahs as they held out.

Dead rubber

In the second game, which was essentially a dead rubber with the Sharks assured of a home semi and Province too far behind to reach the knockouts, the hosts still put in a wonderful performance to absolutely demolish the competitions in-form team.

Two penalties from the boot of flyhalf Jurie Mathee, followed by tries to lock Ben-Jason Dixon, flank Marcel Theunissen and eighthman Hacjivah Dayimani, two of them converted, gave the hosts a big 25-0 lead at the break.

The second half was then more of the same from Province as it started with Dayimani going over for his second, followed by lock Ruben van Heerden crashing over and replacement loose forward Jarrod Taylor showing his pace to score in the corner, with two more conversions from Mathee giving them a 44-0 lead.

The Sharks made sure they didn’t leave empty handed as a late try to inside centre Marnus Potgieter gave them a consolation score after the fulltime hooter.