Blue Bulls fight back to beat Cheetahs

The Blue Bulls secured their first victory of the 2011 Currie Cup season when they beat the Cheetahs 33-30 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Blue Bulls trailed 6-17 at half time but came out for the second half and outscored the Cheetahs 27 13.

The Free State Cheetahs’ defences kept the Blue Bulls try-less for more than 50 minutes of the match.

The visitors did, however, not take the Bulls’ fighting spirit into account.

The Bulls showed some patience and composure to grind-out the victory.

The Cheetahs took the first blood ten minutes into the first-half thanks to a Hennie Daniller try in the left-hand corner, with Ebersohn converting.

They took the ball through 13 phases then sent the ball wide with Ebersohn skipping two players to Daniller to score the try.

Brummer scored his team’s first points four minutes later to reduce the Cheetahs lead to four points.

Ebersohn soon took back the seven point lead with a penalty conversion.

The visitors stretched their lead by 14 points when prop Marcel van der Merwe twisted and turned his way over the line with Ebersohn converting.

The Bulls reduced the Cheetahs lead shortly before the end of the first-half thanks to a Brummer penalty conversion.

Showing more respect for the ball the Bulls marched their way into contention after the interval.

Their hard work paid off in the 50th minute when wing Gerhard van den Heever coasted along the touchline to dive over for his team’s first try of the match, with Brummer converting.

The Cheetahs hit back directly after the restart when lock Francois Uys charged down Brummer’s clearance kick.

Uys picked up the ball and only had a few metres to score his try.

Ebersohn converted to give the team back their one point lead.

Four minutes later Bulls flanker Derick Kuun received a pass from Stefan Watermeyer and darted down the touchline to score in the right-hand corner.

Brummer converted which left them trailing by one point.

The Cheetahs, however, returned the favour with an Ebersohn penalty conversion.

With 20 minutes left in the game the home side took the lead for the first time in the clash.

Bulls wing Akona Ndungane took a Dustin Jinka short pass at speed, and then beat one defender to score left of the goalposts, with Brummer converting to give them a three-point lead.

Ebersohn succeeded with yet another penalty goal to level the scores on 30-30.

His counterpart, however, had the last say of the evening with a penalty conversion.

This gave the Bulls a three-point lead with only ten minutes left in the match.

Their defences held strong as the Cheetahs launched a series of attacks to no avail.

Final Score Blue Bulls 33 (6) Cheetahs 30 (17)

Scorers

Blue Bulls
Tries: Gerhard van den Heever, Derick Kuun, Akona Ndungane.
Conversions Francois Brummer (3).
Penalties: Francois Brummer (4).

Free State Cheetahs:
Tries: Hennie Daniller, Francois Uys, Marcel van der Merwe.
Conversions: Sias Ebersohn (3).
Penalties: Ebersohn (3).

Teams

Blue Bulls :Jurgen Visser, Gerhard van den Heever, Stephan Dippenaar, Stefan Watermeyer, Akona Ndungane, Francois Brummer, Dustin Jinka, Gerrit-Jan van Velze, Dewald Potgieter, Derick Kuun, Juandre Kruger, Fudge Mabeta, Rossouw de Klerk, Gary Botha (c), Corne Fourie.

Replacements: Willie Wepener, Frik Kirsten, Okkie Kruger, CJ Stander, Ruan Snyman, Marnitz Boshoff, Francois Venter.

Cheetahs :Hennie Daniller, Riaan Smit, Corne Uys, Andries Strauss (captain), Ryno Benjamin, Sias Ebersohn, Tewis De Bruyn, Boom Prinsloo, Lappies Labuschagne, Johan Wessels, Waltie Vermeulen, Francois Uys, WP Nel, PW Van Vuuren, Marcel Van der Merwe.