Cheetahs captain Francois Venter led his team well. Photo: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images.
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.
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.
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
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).
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