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Cheetahs down lackluster WP

football13 July 2024 14:30
By:Brendon Atwell
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The Toyota Cheetahs produced a second-half masterclass to trounce DHL Western Province 37-17 (halftime 10-10) in a Carling Currie Cup Premier Division match at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon.

The home side, led by the barnstorming No 8 Juandre Rudolph and the effervescent replacement hooker, Vernon Paulo, scored four tries in the second half with a just a single reply from the visitors to stamp their authority on their title defence.

The Cheetahs scored five tries through a brace from Paulo, Rudolph, Daniel Kasende and centre Munier Hartzenberg while WP managed to cross the line just twice through Jean-Luc du Plessis and replacement flanker, CJ Velleman.

Ethan Wentzel slotted three conversions and two penalties for the hosts while his opposite number, Jurie Matthee, landed two conversions and a penalty.

Province dominated the scrums in the first half, but both sides were unable to form any sort of momentum in a stop-start first 40 minutes.

The men from Cape Town opened the scoring the in second minute when flyhalf Matthee chipped the ball over the Cheetahs backline for centre Du Plessis to chase down and score.

But the lead lasted just five minutes as consecutive penalties by WP left the Cheetahs piling on the pressure.

Flyhalf Wentzel copied his opposite number and put the ball to boot in the same manner for winger Ksende to collect and go over the line to level matters.

The sides traded penalties for the remainder of the half to go into the hut all-square at 10 apiece.

WP perhaps felt that despite their scrum dominance and the extra man advantage they enjoyed, when flanker Gideon van der Merwe was yellow-carded for a team warning, they should have taken a halftime advantage.

SUBSTITUTIONS PAY DIDIDENDS FOR CHEETAHS

But the home side’s coaching staff made same changes up front at the start of the second half and it paid dividends.

The Cheetahs dominated the opening 10 minutes after the restart as they took the game away from Western Province, scoring 17 unanswered points through a penalty from Wentzel and tries from Hartzenberg and Rudolph.

Rudolph was the architect for Hartzenberg’s try as the big No 8 barged his way down the centre of the field before offloading to Hartzenberg who went over untouched, making the conversion for Wentzel and easy one.

Moments later and Rudolph again was at the heart of the move, although he needed no assistance this time, barging his way under the sticks for an easy converted try.

With WP having being blown away in a 10-minutes spell, John Dobson rang the changes but the effects were nearly not as effective as the home side’s.

WP looked disjointed and without any plan in attack.

The visitors thought they had breathed some life back into themselves when Velleman barged over with 15 minutes left on the clock, reducing the deficit to just 10 points, but Paulo would have other ideas.

The WP score just ignited the Cheetahs into another gear as Paulo, on for Marko Janse van Rensburg, scored his first try off the back of a rolling maul close to the WP tryline.

Then with just three minutes left on the stadium clock, a wonderful run from fullback Litha Nkula opened up space for Paulo to burst through a disjointed defence and rush away for his second try of the day.

The scoreline could have been bigger had Wentzel not missed two of his penalty-attempts but the flyhalf managed his backline well and controlled matters with his corner kicks.

The win moves the Cheetahs to the top of the Currie Cup Premier Division log with their second consecutive bonus-point victory while WP languish second from bottom, having picked up just two points in their opening round defeat to the Vodacom Bulls.

SCORERS

Toyota Cheetahs – Tries: Vernon Paulo (2), Daniel Kasende, Munier Hartzenberg, Juandre Rudolph; Conversions: Ethan Wentzel (3); Penalties: Wentzel (2).

DHL Western Province – Tries: Jean-Luc du Plessis, CJ Velleman; Conversions: Jurie Matthee (2); Penalty: Matthee.

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