The Cheetahs delivered an excellent performance to show they have the potential to be competitive in the Pro14 after they beat Irish side Leinster 38-19 in Bloemfontein on Friday night.
Given Leinster’s pedigree – they’re the most successful side in Pro14 history – this was a victory to take note of.
And the most heartening thing for coach Rory Duncan will be that his Cheetahs troops adapted brilliantly in this match.
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Who was the star in this match?
You could make a case for most of the members of the forward pack as it really was a superb collective effort that tamed the Irish giants.
But it was Henco Venter that was the heart of most things for the home side.
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The blinside flanker isn’t the biggest around yet he carried the ball with the type of efficiency and power that made him look far bigger.
His tackling was also reliable.
Key moments and themes
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Accused of not being adaptable enough in the first few weeks, the Cheetahs showed a real willingness to change their approach. When they had space, they still tried to run the ball as always but it was noticeable that they made sure there was a platform. Their set-pieces, especially the line-outs, functioned really well and they at times kept their attack tight. It certainly helped that the ball-carriers dominated the collisions.
It was also good to see the Cheetahs taking points early on when given the chance. The boot of flyhalf Ernst Stapelberg proved effective as the hosts didn’t try to be too ambitious in punishing the Leinster indiscipline.
The versatility of the Cheetahs’ performance was reflected in their three tries. Centre William Small-Smith rounded off a brilliant break from midfield partner and captain Francois Venter after they dominated a scrum. Hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld was at the heart of a rolling maul and replacement Ox Nche showed brute strength from a patient, conservative attack to score.
Leinster exploited the home side’s defence out wide, as evidenced by winger Barry Daly’s hat-trick of tries, but they simply fell too far behind because they simply didn’t have the ball and were forced into making mistakes. Substitute winger Luther Obi’s intercept at the death to give the Cheetahs a bonus point try summed up their night.
Point scorers
Cheetahs – Tries: William Small-Smith, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ox Nche, Luther Obi. Conversions: Ernst Stapelberg (3). Penalties: Stapelberg (4).
Leinster – Tries: Barry Daly (3). Conversion: Ross Byrne (2).
