Waratahs (3) 3 / Cheetahs (6) 23 (Final Score)
A first win for the Cheetahs out of Africa. This was a game where the Waratahs was outplayed on the ground. Heinrich Brussow is back with a bang. He ruled the rucks.
Scoring:-
Waratahs:- Penalty – Kurtley Beale
Cheetahs:- Penalties – S Ebersohn (2) , Try – Phillip Snyman , Sarel Pretoruis, Conversion – S Ebersohn(2)
Teams
Waratahs: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Atieli Pakalani, 13 Lachie Turner, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Pat McCutcheon, 6 Ben Mowen, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Dean Mumm (captain), 3 Al Baxter, 2 John Ulugia, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Sekope Kepu, 18 Sitaleki Timani, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Brendan McKibbin, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Ryan Cross.
Cheetahs: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14, Phillip Snyman, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss (captain), 11 Fabian Juries, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Tewis de Bruyn, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Phillip van der Walt, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Martin Muller, 3 WP Nel, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 Lourens Adriaanse, 18 Frans Viljoen, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Francois Uys, 21 Sarel Pretorius, 22 Naas Olivier.
Referee: Nathan Pearce
Assistant referees: James Leckie, Angus Gardner
TMO: George Ayoub
Having failed to take what could have been a morale-boosting win over the Lions in Bloemfontein last weekend, the Cheetahs now face their Australasian road trip with the usual dread … and no Juan Smith.
They will be looking to their other talisman, Springbok Heinrich Brüssow, but it is only his second Super Rugby outing after almost a year on the sidelines. He may still be a game or away from some decent form.
The Waratahs, conversely, are fresh, having just come off the bye, and ready to reassert themselves as the best Australian franchise. They will be determined to prove their 18-33 loss to an impressive Crusaders team in Round Three was an aberration and that they are indeed as good as their 43-0 whitewash of the Rebels in Week One suggested.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské certainly believes the Waratahs had a temporary slump a fortnight ago and remains a team to be respected.
“I don’t think the Waratahs have weaknesses, the Crusaders are just a very good team,” Drotské told rugby365.com.
He spoke of the Waratahs as a “well-coached team” and said their defensive structures have been among the best in the competition for several years.
They also don’t often lose in Sydney – with a 70 percent success rate at home and a seven-match winning streak in Australia’s most populace city.
“It will be an enormous challenge for us,” the Cheetahs coach said, adding: “However, history has showed that in this competition any team can beat any team on the day and we will do everything to achieve that [win].”
Maintain possession is always key against a team such as the ‘Tahs, but Drotské feels the Waratahs’ sound defensive lines mean you have to utilise every chance that comes your way.
“You obviously can’t attack from anywhere, that will be silly, so you will have to be tactically very good against them.”
Recent results:
2010: Waratahs won 40-17, Sydney
2009: Waratahs won 18-10, Bloemfontein
2008: Waratahs won 23-19, Sydney
2007: Cheetahs won 30-26, Kimberley
2006: Waratahs won 26-3, Sydney
The teams are ready to take to the field and we are minutes away from the action.
2 Both teams look keen to have an early run, although the Cheetahs are a bit sloppy with their handling.
0 The game is underway!
Waratahs spill the ball on the line, Cheetahs get a chance to get out off jail.
6 The Tahs bash away for a few more minutes, after taking a qick tap, and then knock it on. It is an exciting start – not sure the teams can keep up this pace.
The Cheetahs with some possession look to build, but their breakdown play is not secure enough.
The Cheetahs still don’t treasure the ball enough and cough up possession inside the Waratahs 22 – then find themselves with a defensive line-out inside their own 22.
15 But Heinrich Brüssow shows his value as he wins a penalty at the breakdown.
14 Another Cheetahs turnover at the breakdown and again they are defending inside their 22.
12 The Waratahs have their own problems – John Ulugia making a mess of his first two throws at the line-outs.
16 Sias Ebersohn is having a shot from 40m out and he slots the penalty for a 3-0 lead.
18 That’s the fourth line-out the Tahs have butchered, although the Cheetahs deserve some credit for good contesting.
17 John Ulugia again messes up a line-out, as the Cheetahs are forced to re-arrange their backline – captain Andries Strauss leaving the field, Sarel Pretorius on at scrumhalf, Tewis de Bruyn moves to flyhalf and Sias Ebersohn joining his twin brother Robert in midfield.
20 The Waratahs’ scrum is also not working – as they concede a second free kick.
23 The Waratahs can’t get their running game going, as the Cheetahs are in their faces on defence.
28 Offside penalty against the Cheetahs just outside their 22.
29 Kurtley Beale is lining up the kick from 25m out and he slots the penalty for a 3-all score.
32 Sias Ebersohn has an easy shot from 25m out, right in front and he slots the penalty to restore his team’s lead – 6-3
35 The Waratahs just can’t get their game going. That early energy is all gone and they have slowed down to a crawl.
die mielies vaar baie beter as wat ek verwag het.
39 Sias Ebersohn tries a drop-goal from 40m out, but he is wide to the right.
Lemoene tyd
40 The Waratahs mess up another line-out throw, with Damien Fitzpatrick – in for John Ulugia – not fidning his jumpers either. The Cheetahs take a 6-3 lead into the half-time break.
Whoooohooo, not a bad start Cheetahs!! Once again we lose another influential player, and another captain down!!
Hang in there boytjies!!
Second half started
@ Cheetah4eva:
you wont believe it but i picked the Cheetahs for a win, so far it looks promising.
42 Poor start by the Cheetahs, as the kick-off is directly into touch and the Waratahs get a scrum on halfway. But Heinrich Brüssow wins another penalty to save the Cheetahs.
43 Riaan Viljoen is having a shot from just inside his own half, but he us wide.
44 Damien Fitzpatrick concedes a panlty from offside just outside the Tahs 22. Sias Ebersohn slots the penalty and the Cheetahs lead 9-3
The Cheetahs butcher a try here, as Coenie Oosthuizen knocks on metres from the line after several rushes by the forwards. It was a bit predictable and the Waratahs were up for that one.
55 Heinrich Brüssow steals anotgher breakdown balls and Sarel Pretorius hacks it downfield, winning a 5m scrum for the Cheetahs as Berrick Barbnes carries it over his own line.
53 After a lot more kicking from both sides the Waratahs win a penalty for advancing in front of the kicker. They opt for an attacking scrum.
61 TRY – Phillip Snyman scores an 80m try, starting with Rian Viljoen grabbing a cross-field kick and offloading to Sarel Pretrius, who sets off downfield and thebn giving to Snyman, who races clera.
62 Sias Ebersohn adds the conversion and the Cheetahs lead 16-3
64 The Waratahs look to hit back straight away, as they finally come alive, but the Cheetahs defence holds out … for now.
66 The Cheetahs hold out another rush, as the Waratahs’ hands let them down … twice.
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