Cheetahs’ bonus point victory over Rebels propels them higher in super xv table – Super Rugby
Cheetahs secure a bonus point victory at Bloemfontein to continue their progress upwards in the combined super xv table. Cheetahs defeated Melbourne Rebels 41 – 21 at Free State Stadium on Saturday May 21. This is the Cheetahs fourth consecutive win in
the 2011 Super Rugby champions after a very poor start in the season.
Last week Cheetahs stunned Crusaders 33 – 20 and victory today has brought them to the ninth place in the super xv combined table. This is their fifth win in the season and they are currently trailing by nine and six points behind the Sharks and Bulls respectively.
Cheetahs will be disappointed by their last 10-minutes of ill discipline in the match which otherwise had all the ingredients of being a memorable performance. Rebels started the match strongly and looked like they might score but hosts overcame the initial
challenge. Cheetahs replied strong, courtesy of their centre Corne Uys’s 11th minute try. Cheetahs’ fly half, Sias Ebersohn, followed with his conversion.
Momentum was with the Cheetahs as they controlled the game with some efficient ball handling. During the 19th minute, Cheetahs winger Rayno Benjamin dashed for a try after receiving a kick from Rebels winger, Luke Rooney, to score Cheetahs second
try of the match. Eberoshn followed with the conversion to take the scorecard reading 14 – 0.
Rebels' hooker Ged Robinson recovered the ball from the lineout and found the gap to score the first try in the match for the Rebels during the 25th minute of the game. Rebels fullback Richard Kingi scored on conversion.
In the following passage of play both teams fought for ball possession and territory as both teams played the game more in the mid-field. Cheetahs extended their lead courtesy of their hooker Adriaan Strauss’s 35th minute try followed by Ebersohn’s
conversion to take the scorecard reading 21 – 7 favouring hosts and it remained the same until the end of the first half.
Rebels started the second half strongly but failed to convert their moves into scoring opportunities. Cheetahs on the other hand made most of the every opportunity the Rebels provided them and made them pay.
Ebersohn extended the Cheetahs lead with his two penalties in the 46th and 50th minute. Rebels replied with their centre Mark Gerrard’s 57th minute try followed by Kingi’s conversion to take the scorecard reading 27 – 14.
Cheetahs did not hold back and attacked with more intensity as they scored 14 points in the next ten minutes. Cheetahs centre Uys and hooker Strauss had their second tries in the match during the 61st and 67th minute respectively followed
by Ebersohn’s conversion to take the scorecard reading 41 – 14.
During the 74th minute of the game Cheetahs winger Benjamin received a red card for a head butt on Rebels’ captain Stirling Mortlock. Mortlock was also sin binned for his retaliation as the incident increased the tempo of the game. During the
last minute of the game, Cheetahs fullback Riaan Viljoen was sin binned and that resulted in penalty try for the Rebels.
Rebels scored on the penalty try followed by Kingi’s conversion to take the scorecard reading 41 – 21. Cheetahs will head to Pretoria to play against the Bulls next week.
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