Cheetahs winger Cohen Jasper scored a late try to settle a thrilling see-saw battle against the Sharks in the Challenge Cup clash in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
The Sharks and Cheetahs split eight tries in a match where the lead changed hands four times before Jasper struck and the hosts held on for the final five minutes to deny their Springbok-laden rivals and secure a 32-29 victory.
All four of the Sharks’ tries were scored by Springboks, as Eben Etzebeth, Grant Williams, Francois Venter and Makazole Mapimpi dotted down for the visitors.
Former Bok halfback Ruan Pienaar, man of the match for the Cheetahs’ in last week’s win over Zebre Parma, was once again critical to the home team, kicking three conversions and two penalties in a hard-earned victory.
The Cheetahs opened the scoring in the first half as hooker Marnus van der Merwe crossed the line, but Etzebeth responded within minutes, and the conversion from Curwin Bosch levelled the scores.
‘Too big, too strong’ 💪@CheetahsRugby‘s Marcus van der Merwe crosses over for the first try of the match 🔥
Watch LIVE on @SuperSportTV, @FloRugby and https://t.co/cI5BzWKcGS 📺 pic.twitter.com/QPcgrfSJCR
— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) December 17, 2023
Flanker Gideon van der Merwe scored the Cheetahs’ second try of the match not too long after, and while that would be the only conversion that Pienaar would miss, he made up for it with a penalty on halftime to take his team into the break leading 15-7.
HALF TIME:
🏆EPCR Challenge Cup
Toyota Cheetahs 15-7 Hollywoodbets Sharks#CHEvSHA#EPCRChallengeCup@ToyotaSA pic.twitter.com/IT7RGzJFRX— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) December 17, 2023
It took only a minute for the Sharks to bounce back in the second half, as centre Venter crossed for a try that Bosch failed to convert.
The gloves came off in the second half as the teams traded penalties and tries, and the Sharks looked set to win when Mapimpi got on the end of a perfect cross-kick from Bosch to score in the final quarter. That was until Jasper got the ball out wide and stepped inside two defenders to score, with Pienaar converting to put the Cheetahs three points clear with five minutes to go.
Despite desperate efforts from the Sharks, the men from Bloemfontein scrambled and clung on for the win.
74″|TRY TIME!
Cohen Jasper scores a try for the Cheetahs!
Toyota Cheetahs 32-29 Hollywoodbets Sharks#CHEvSHA#EPCRChallengeCup@ToyotaSA pic.twitter.com/G2XJj17b0j— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) December 17, 2023
Photo: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images