Currie Cup Premier Division: Bulls 39-36 Cheetahs- As it happened

Bulls vs Cheetahs: Loftus plays host to Saturday’s second Currie Cup match with the home side looking to seal top spot.

Bulls 39-36 Cheetahs as it happened

The Bulls claimed a 39-36 win over a spirited Cheetahs team to clinch top spot on the Currie Cup log on Saturday 28 August 2021.

They will enjoy home advantage in both their semi-final and the Currie Cup final should they win the former.

Bulls 39-36 Cheetahs: Match report

A tackle bust from Lionel Mapoe allowed the Bulls centre to set Marco Janse van Vuuren in for the opening try. Johan Goosen added the two from straight in front making it 7-0 in the 4th minute.

The Cheetahs came close in response almost immediately, with the TMO called in to check if the ball had been grounded and they would have to try again from a scrum five out.

Despite being under the pump at that scrum, The Cheetahs won advantage as Goosen came up too quickly, and with that Ruan Pienaar found Mihali Mosi who ran in unapposed, to get the Cheetahs on the board. Pienaar levelled the scores with a tricky conversion kick well taken. 

The Cheetahs then found space through Cohen Jasper, who dinked a neat little grubber in behind the Bulls which Duncan Saal sprinted onto before gathering and scoring in the corner. With only the sound of a pair of hadedas ringing around an empty Loftus, Pienaar calmly slotted the kick which gave them a 14-7 lead.

It wasn’t long before the Bulls won a scrum down in the Cheetahs 22, a dominant scrum gave them the penalty advantage, but Elrigh Louw would pick up and scythe through the Cheetahs to score, barreling past the last man. Goosen levelled the scores from the tee and with just 17 minutes on the clock it was already 14-14.

Bulls captain Arno Botha was sent to the sin-bin after he collapsed a Cheetahs maul that was bound for the promised land with a penalty try also awarded to put the Cheetahs back in front early in the second quarter on the contest.

Down to 14 men, the Bulls opted to kick for goal when the Cheetahs illegally stopped a maul. Goosen nailed his kick to lift the Bulls to 17 still trailing the Cheetahs by four.

The Cheetahs squandered two kickable penalties in the Bulls 22 as they knocked on at a five-metre lineout as the match moved towards the half-hour. But the Bulls remained pinned in their own half for the next five minutes until a high shot allowed the Bulls to make their way up towards the Cheetahs 22, by now back to their full compliment.

Ill-discipline gave the Bulls another opportunity to set their rolling maul and they proved unstoppable, Jan-Hendrik Wessels slamming the ball down for the go-ahead score amidst a blue swarm. Goosen converted the try and it seemed as though the Bulls would take a lead into half time.

The Cheetahs mounted another attack though, and accepted a shot at goal as reward, with Pienaar kicking the penalty to ensure the scores were level at 24-all at the break.

Half time

A string of errors meant that the Cheetahs were unable to make the most of the territorial advantage they enjoyed early in the second half.

In the 47th minute Victor Sekekete was sent to the sin-bin for collapsing the Bulls maul close to the Cheetahs line.

The Bulls used their drive again, and Wessels came up with the ball, claiming his second try of the match and securing a bonus point for the hosts. Goosen’s kick hit the post and went out, leaving the score 29-24 in the Bulls favour.

Crucially the Bulls were able to stop the Cheetahs rolling maul close to their line before being afforded a soft exit from a scrum-time penalty.

Three successive Cheetahs attacks started with promise before fizzling out due to penalties given away while in possession.

At the other end the Bulls proved more clinical with Madosh Tambwe finishing off a multiphase move on the end of a rifled flat pass from substitute scrumhalf Keagan Johannes. Goosen’s conversion made sure that the Bulls held a twelve-point lead with 16 minutes left.

When Goosen slotted another penalty goal in the 68th minute the game appeared over as a contest.

Jasper got over after a quick lineout move to give the Cheetahs the faintest sniff of getting back into the game.

A big carry from Saal allowed the Cheetahs to set up another five-metre lineout with time running out. Malcolm Jaer bashed over out wide after the Bulls had stopped their rolling maul. The Bulls also lost Ruan Combrink, whose high shot couldn’t stop Jaer from dotting down in the corner. Pienaar couldn’t convert from out wide and with four minutes left on the clock the Bulls led 39-36.

The Cheetahs would get a final throw of the dice from a scrum after the hooter

Bulls vs Cheetahs: Preview

If the Cheetahs – already out of the running themselves – cause a big upset in the penultimate game and beat the Bulls in Pretoria, they can pave the way for the Sharks to top the log if they can get a full-house of points against WP.

The Bulls need just two log points to secure top spot and ensure they will play all of their remaining matches at fortress Loftus.

It will take a monstrous effort by the Free Staters to take down as the defending champions who have lost only once at Loftus Versfeld in the last year, and then when they hosted Western Province with a depleted side in the opening round of the competition, their stars away at the Rainbow Cup final.

The Bulls game is built on forward dominance but they have a dangerous backline marshalled by the experienced Johan Goosen, who has filled in for Morne Steyn with aplomb in the Currie Cup ensuring the men in blue have enjoyed a phenomenal purple patch.

This match will be the first meeting between the two sides after the reverse fixture was called off due to a COVID-19 scare.

The Cheetahs are determined to finish strongly having been eliminated from the running for the last four.

“We want to finish well. We are all disappointed with our performance in the Currie Cup and with all the problems we’ve had especially at the start of the season.”

“We know that we are better than our performance on the field and we’d like to prove to ourselves that we are able to compete with the best teams and the Bulls is the best team in the country at the moment.”

“We want to make ourselves and our supporters proud.” Said, Coach Hawies Fourie 

Teams: Bulls vs Cheetahs

Bulls

15 David Kriel, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 WJ Steenkamp, 6 Arno Botha (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Janko Swanepoel, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp 

Substitutes: 16 Joe van Zyl, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Jacques van Rooyen, 19 Jacques du Plessis, 20 Jaco Labuschagne, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Ruan Combrinck

Cheetahs

15 Cohen Jasper, 14 Duncan Saal, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Siya Masuku, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Mihlali Mosi, 7 Aidon Davis, 6 Marnus van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Schalk Ferreira

Substitutes: 16 Wilmar Arnoldi, 17 Hencus van Wyk, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Reinier Viljoen, 20 Oupa Mohoje, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 David Brits, 23 Chris Smit

Match information, kick-off time, live stream and tv details

Bulls vs Cheetahs

Date: Saturday, 28 August

Venue: Loftus Versfeld

Kick-off: 16:45

Referee: AJ Jacobs

Assistant Referees: Johre Botha, local appointment

Television Match Official: Quinton Immelman

TV: SuperSport

Stream: DStv Now, Showmax Pro

Test your rugby knowledge and stand a chance to win R1 000!