Both coaches probably needed medical attention for what their players put them through, but it was the Free State Cheetahs who eventually edged out the Blue Bulls 41-40 in their Currie Cup match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
In a free-flowing encounter that degenerated into many moments of sheer farce, the Cheetahs won the game with an 85th-minute try in the corner by left wing Makazole Mapimpi, after a string of penalties against the home side.
The Blue Bulls had only themselves to blame though, as with 90 seconds left in the match they had the ball in their own 22.
They needed to kick it downfield – and preferably out – but instead they tried to hang on to the ball.
For a team that has battled to hang on to possession for longer than a minute the whole year, it was a hopelessly poor decision.
The visitors also did their best to lose the game with comical moments that included passing the ball around behind their own line, a clearing kick that gave the Bulls a lineout five metres from their tryline, conversions missed from in front of goal, and penalties to touch that instead went over the touch-in-goal line.
Who was the star in this match?
The Cheetahs are lethal out wide with the pace and skills of Mapimpi, Sergeal Petersen and replacement Rosko Specman. Man of the match Mapimpi was the most dangerous player on the field and his match-winning effort in the corner completed his hat-trick. It is a tremendous credit to Bulls opposite number Jamba Ulengo that he did not score six as Ulengo pulled off a couple of superb tackles on the flying winger.
Key themes and moments
Scorers
Blue Bulls: Tries – Dries Swanepoel, Tony Jantjies, Jamba Ulengo (2), Warrick Gelant. Conversions – Jantjies (2), Josh Stander. Penalties – Jantjies (3).
Free State Cheetahs: Tries – Makazole Mapimpi (3), Jasper Wiese, Francois Venter, Sergeal Petersen. Conversions – Ryno Eksteen (4). Penalty – Eksteen.
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