News24.com | Tale of two halves as Cheetahs fight back, but Sharks hold on for Currie Cup win in Bloemfontein

An excellent first-half display, where they kept the Cheetahs scoreless, has helped the Sharks to a 24-17 win in Bloemfontein on Friday. 

RECAP | Cheetahs v Cheetahs

The Sharks opened the scoring in the 9th minute when, after a break by James Venter and with Fez Mbatha heavily involved, flanker Tinotenda Mavesere crossed the whitewash.

Veteran flyhalf Lionel Cronje added the extras from the kicking tee to give the visitors an early 7-0 lead. 

The contest remained tight for most of the first stanza, but the Sharks extended their lead 10 minutes before half-time after the Cheetahs were caught offside near their line.

Cronje stepped up to slot the penalty and extend the Sharks' lead to 10-0 in the 31st minute.

They could have pushed that out even further when James Venter grabbed an intercept 50m from the Cheetahs' line, but the home side scrambled back in defence, and a knock-on ended the Sharks' attack. 

After the Cheetahs were penalized close to their line and with the half-time hooter already sounded, the Sharks set up a lineout close to the home side's line.

A series of penalties followed, with the Cheetahs receiving an official warning for continued infringements in the red zone as the Sharks opted for yet another attacking lineout.

The third time was the charm for the visitors as this time, the rolling maul was effective, allowing Mbatha to get over the line.

The Cheetahs were reduced to 14 men at the same time as veteran prop Schalk van der Merwe was sent to the sin bin for continued infringements.

Cronje converted Mbatha's try as the Sharks took a handy 17-0 lead into the break. 

The Cheetahs needed to be the first team to score in the second half, and even with a man down, they started on the front foot.

That resulted in a try from flank Sibabalo Qoma who crashed over the line after a well-worked lineout move caught the Sharks' defence napping.

Ruan Pienaar failed with the conversion, but the home side had cut the Sharks' lead to 17-5.

The Shark thought they had hit back straight from the kick-off as Yaw Penxe challenged the kick-off and offloaded to Corne Rahl around 25m from the line.

The big lock had it all to do, but he powered past several Cheetahs defenders to crash over.

After a TMO intervention, however, the try was ruled out due to a knock-on by Penxe while challenging for the ball. 

Cronje then had a chance to extend the Sharks' lead, but his penalty attempt only clattered against the upright, allowing the home side to collect and clear. 

After an extended period of possession, the Cheetahs moved slowly downfield, eventually camping on the Sharks' line, with Gideon van der Merwe eventually wriggling over the line under the poles.

The Sharks lost prop Khwezi Mona for a cynical infringement leading up to the try, and when Pienaar converted Van der Merwe's effort, the Cheetahs were now just six points off the lead with the score reading 17-12.

The Sharks extended their lead somewhat against the run of play in the 68th minute when Penxe again collected a Sharks highball before finding Marco de Witt to his right.

The rangy replacement pinned his ears back, and while he was caught short of the line, he used his big frame to stretch into the corner and score.

Cronje landed the conversion from a difficult angle, and the Sharks once again opened some daylight with the score at 24-12 and just 12 minutes to play. 

The home side was soon back on the attack, and they kept themselves in the encounter after Louis van der Westhuizen rumbled over from a rolling maul om the 73rd minute. 

Siya Masuku couldn't add the extras from a relatively easy conversion attempt, but the Cheetahs had still cut the Sharks' lead to 24-17. 

They dominated the match's final minutes, but the Sharks' defence manfully held on to secure a critical away win that helps them consolidate third position on the Currie Cup log.

The Cheetahs remain in second. 

Scores: 

Cheetahs 17 (0)

Tries: Sibabalo Qoma, Gideon vd Merwe, Louis van der Westhuizen

Conversions: Ruan Pienaar 

Sharks

Tries: Tinotenda Mavesere, Fez Mbatha, Marco de Witt

Conversions: Lionel Cronje (3)

Penalties: Lionel Cronje

Teams

Cheethas

15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Munier Hartzenberg, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Sibabalo Qomo, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Arnanos Coetzee, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Schalk Ferreira

Substitutes: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Mzwanele Zito, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 David Brits, 23 Cohen Jasper

Sharks

15 Nevaldo Fleurs, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Josh Jonas, 12 Alwayno Visagie, 11 Marnus Potgieter, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Henco Venter, 7 James Venter (captain), 6 Tinotenda Mavesere, 5 Ockie Barnard, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona

Substitutes: 16 Dan Jooste, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Marco de Witt, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Tiaan Fourie, 22 Murray Koster, 23 Phikolomzi Sobahle