Coach Frans Steyn’s Cheetahs lost to the Boland Cavaliers in the opening round of the SA Cup in Wellington on Saturday.
Boland scored three tries to lead 19-0 after 23 minutes, before the Cheetahs fought back to go 29-25 ahead in the second half.
But winger Lunathi Nxele’s hat-trick try with 13 minutes remaining put the hosts back in front and replacement flyhalf Garth April’s last-minute try wrapped up a 45-29 bonus-point victory.
The visitors also scored five tries, including two by replacement scrumhalf Jandré Nel, to come away with a bonus point.
The match was former Springbok Steyn’s first in charge of the Free Staters after taking over from Izak van der Westhuizen, while ex-Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie is in charge at Boland.
In other results, the Pumas crushed the SWD Eagles 75-7 in Nelspruit, Griquas lashed the Leopards 66-7 in Kimberley, the Border Bulldogs suffered a 55-32 home defeat to the Griffons in Mdantsane and the Valke outlasted Eastern Province 41-30 in Kempton Park.
The 10-team SA Cup serves as a qualifier for this year’s Currie Cup Premier Division, with the top four teams set to join the four Vodacom URC unions.
SA Cup round 1 results:
Pumas 75 SWD Eagles 7
Boland 45 Cheetahs 29
Border Bulldogs 32 Griffons 55
Valke 41 Eastern Province 30
Leopards 7 Griquas 64
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
