Cheetahs shock Sharks
17 Oct 2009
Jacques-Louis Potgieter slotted a last minute drop to knock the Sharks out of the Currie Cup at Kings Park.
The Cheetahs have come back from the dead in the league stages in the competition, and did the same in this semi as they trailed 18-3 early in the second half. But a remarkable comeback, aided by the Cheetahs flyhalf scoring 18 points, secured one of the great upsets in the competition as they won 23-21.
The Cheetahs were expected to trouble the Sharks at the scrum, breakdown and with their attack. They did just that, and throughout the opening 40 minutes they produced most of the play. Looking at the scoreboard however, it wouldn’t have told. The Sharks led 15-3 at the break, 10 of those points coming in the final 10 minutes, but for the visitors it was a half of lost opportunities.
No 8 Ashley Johnson was held up inches from the tryline, while Potgieter’s goal-kicking problems were initially exposed. He missed nine points off the boot from two penalties and a drop, and playing with the wind, trailing by 12 points was far from Naka Drotske’s plans.
Heinrich Brussow – who was easily the best player on the park on the day – delivered yet another masterclass at the breakdown, but when the Sharks did force turnovers they made it count. Stefan Terblanche opened the scoring from a long range effort from their 22 after 10 minutes. Ruan Pienaar also slotted a penalty from another Sharks counter, while the scrumhalf’s try on the half-time hooter came from JP Pietersen’s break in their own territory, the Bok winger brushing off tackles and linking brilliantly.
The Sharks had little possession and territory, while their scrum was a shambles. The Sharks attempted to win the territorial battle largely via the educated boot of Juan Hernandez and his array of different kicks, but they had little ball to do it with. The Cheetahs conversely looked to run as much as possible, but couldn’t convert their pressure into points.
They were also winning a number of the personal battles, especially at the scrum and breakdown, with referee Marius Jonker rewarding them with many penalties. Both sides’ lineouts struggled and as a result, neither side constructed much play.
The visitors’ hopes of an upset were also hampered after half-time when Richardt Strauss had to be substituted. They had no specialist hooker cover and Johnson had to move into the front row, further curbing their plans to attack the Sharks’ set-pieces.
Early in the second stanza, the story of the opening stages was clearly exemplified. As soon as the defending champs got into opposition territory, Hernandez put over a drop to extend the lead. Corne Uys then had a chance to score from a chip, but failed to hold on. Potgieter slotted a penalty and cancelled out the Argentinean’s effort, but yet again the Cheetahs would have felt they should have gained more from their work.
Finally the underdogs made it count. Impressive tighthead WP Nel carried a number of defenders on his back to surge over the line and put his side back into it at 18-13 after 52 minutes. When Frans Viljoen looked to have dotted down four minutes later, the Cheetahs should have been in the lead. Somehow Jonker referred with his assistant ref and they ruled a forward pass, but it wouldn’t matter in the end.
Just two minutes later they wouldn’t have worried about that when Potgieter ran 50m to score. A shocking pass from Pienaar was lapped up by the flyhalf, putting the visitors in front for the first time since the opening five minutes.
Pienaar reclaimed the lead, and while the Sharks dominated territory in the last quarter, they failed to close out the match. Decision-making was poor as Hernandez, Terblanche and Adi Jacobs all went for drops when they had the visitors on the ropes. Ironically, it was Potgieter who was the one who dropped into the pocket to seal the result.
By Grant Ball
323 Comments
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17 Oct 2009, 16:12 pm
#131 Transformation:
Mqabaqaba okwegqabi levinika. Ndiyathembe nakuwe kukwanjalo.
Can’t wait for the next game. Will even be great if province win. Fitting send for Cheeky’s litey!
17 Oct 2009, 16:12 pm
#144 Travelling Shark: adi wasn’t thinking crikey his attempt was the worst of the game
17 Oct 2009, 16:12 pm
#145 Travelling Shark:
The instruction must come from Plum or John.
17 Oct 2009, 16:14 pm
#147 Big Hit:
Isn’t there some Heineken matches you should be watching?
17 Oct 2009, 16:15 pm
#154 David: I’ve got them on too. JDV having a marginally better time of it this week.
17 Oct 2009, 16:16 pm
Mapoe is class makes something out of nothing everytime he gets hold of the ball. New Habana in the making and maybe even more.
17 Oct 2009, 16:16 pm
Cobras looking good at the moment. 40 runs needed from 42 balls and 8 wickets in hand.
17 Oct 2009, 16:16 pm
Come on man, I want to go to Loftus.
17 Oct 2009, 16:17 pm
Yes!
17 Oct 2009, 16:17 pm
Don’t you just love rugby!!!
17 Oct 2009, 16:17 pm
Wow.
17 Oct 2009, 16:18 pm
CHEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTAAAAAAAHHHHHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
17 Oct 2009, 16:18 pm
Is this the same Cheetahs that payed in the S14?
17 Oct 2009, 16:19 pm
Arrogancy shown up again. Man I like it. Now province must show up the bullies!!!!!
17 Oct 2009, 16:19 pm
Congratulations, Cheetahs. Hard luck Sharks.
17 Oct 2009, 16:19 pm
Big Choke. Yep Sharks second name the great white choker’s.
And I said it was on the cards all week.
Now for WP to complete the equation.
WP’s cup this year. Suck it up.
17 Oct 2009, 16:19 pm
bloody sharks are out of it!!!!? ******* hell….HAK VRYSTAAT!!!!!!!!
17 Oct 2009, 16:20 pm
Book that Loftus Box so long for me there son.
17 Oct 2009, 16:20 pm
Puma, sharks_lover, hard luck. Better luck next year.
17 Oct 2009, 16:20 pm
JLP will get MoM, but Ashley Johnson showed incredible bravery and skill.
17 Oct 2009, 16:21 pm
Good game guys. Well done both teams.
17 Oct 2009, 16:21 pm
Well done Cheetahs
17 Oct 2009, 16:22 pm
I will ask the question again: for how long will John Smit take the humiliation? Should he not leave before huge damage is done to his good name?
17 Oct 2009, 16:22 pm
Agreed, SodaJoe, Johnson had a great game, as did Brussow.
17 Oct 2009, 16:23 pm
Oh dear, the Sharks have been buying the wrong Cheetahs.
17 Oct 2009, 16:23 pm
#166 skopskiet: Quite right, I was supporting them Skarks for this one but wtf…. they must be the chokers of SA teams.
17 Oct 2009, 16:23 pm
#164 Peter Mkata: you seem rather arrogant yourself…
17 Oct 2009, 16:23 pm
#173 Peter Mkata: why target Smit when Beast was just as outplayed, the scrum is an 8 man effort.
17 Oct 2009, 16:23 pm
Well done Cheetahs , you played your hearts out boys and the Sharks were not good enough to close it out. Doesn’t meant the Sharks chocked as some are suggesting, it shows more how well you played and deserved it.
17 Oct 2009, 16:24 pm
#172 Big Hit:
Why so glum, they’re not Sale.
17 Oct 2009, 16:24 pm
Hahahahaha, Sharks have been lacklustre all year. In the Super 14 they flaked badly and now this. These boys need to wake up. Their backline is letting them down.
Well done Free State!! Will be great if WP win the next one.
Mapoe and Juries must be in end of year squad, likewise with Johnson and WP Nel
17 Oct 2009, 16:24 pm
only 1 union can win it , the Blue Bulls.
17 Oct 2009, 16:25 pm
WELL DONE CHEETAHS. Cheetahs deserved this win.
Good luck in the final.
17 Oct 2009, 16:25 pm
Well done, bananaboy, very gracious in defeat. I feel sorry for you true Sharks supporters!
17 Oct 2009, 16:26 pm
Congrats to both teams for a great game. Now, with a few Kwas to bolster the side, the Cheetahs should have no excuses in the S14, next year.
17 Oct 2009, 16:26 pm
peter de Villier’s better start opening both eyes soon, if he continues with this Sharks front row as his starting vanguard he’s asking for big trouble. He better catch a wake up and smell the coffee before he gets a huge awakening catching him cold.
17 Oct 2009, 16:26 pm
#181 Slumtown: Also lots of stupid drop goals. Daft should have kept the ball in hand. Especially the one by Adi crazy stuff that.
Cheetahs were the better team. They deserved the win.
17 Oct 2009, 16:27 pm
Whooohoooo!!! no nails left!! What a cracker!! Commiserations to the Sharksfor great match…
As I predicted, the scrums were a dominnt platform for the Cheeth’s an despite some shocking handling by Uys and bosman, their fighting spirit saw them home!!
The Cheetah’s will have o find a replacement for JL Potgieter!!
The Cheetah success story in CC continues!!
Thank you Sharks for a well fought contest!!
and Thank you Cheetah’s for answering the critics in the best way possible….. on the field of battle!!
17 Oct 2009, 16:28 pm
#182 bananaboy:
You also said there were only two who could, before today.
17 Oct 2009, 16:29 pm
#178 Big Hit:
Cause he is old and is being humiliated by up and coming young stars. Beast was useless as well for sure.
17 Oct 2009, 16:29 pm
#188 Cheetah 4 Eva: congrats Cheetah, your boys have captured the imagination in recent weeks with their play. They have every chance to win the final no matter who it’s against.
17 Oct 2009, 16:29 pm
#163 Senga: They’ve really come good at the right time this year. Its always good to see them do well, they consistently play entertaining rugby
17 Oct 2009, 16:29 pm
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha i told you stransky was right yesteday about the sharks impotent backline! What did they do with all that possession in the cheetahs half? The all attempted drop kicks, stefan, hernandez & even adi!!! Bashford should lose his job!
17 Oct 2009, 16:30 pm
#152 fish out of water:
#153 David:
Stupid decision making allround, Dumod penalty, Adi is kak – full stop. I think the bench had some crazy options – why have Dumond on when you already have two flyhalves?
Cheetahs have played amazing intelligent rugby and deserve the final berth after the comeback (4 losses at start of CC) and never giving up in this semi – the sharks looked average at best in the final 40. Brussouw, Johnson, JLP played incredible games, Good luck for the final Cheetahs!!
17 Oct 2009, 16:31 pm
Well done to the States.
17 Oct 2009, 16:31 pm
#193 Transformation: Yea that second half performance was rubbish. Free state were good though, overall they deserved to win
17 Oct 2009, 16:32 pm
To be honest, I think some of the Boks are having difficulty raising their game after an emotional and physically exhausting season.
17 Oct 2009, 16:32 pm
Well done to the Cheetahs. They came to win and did so. Plenty of hard work and guts.
17 Oct 2009, 16:32 pm
#193 Transformation: drop-kicks is what you do if the game is tight, did you notice how the game was won? and it was two tries a piece.
17 Oct 2009, 16:33 pm
#186 skopskiet: Skoppie ,if you know anything about rugby then you would know that scrummaging is about more that your front row. The engage in modern day rugby comes from your 8th man and locks and that is where the dominance is created. Your tighthead has to get you a right shoulder by scrumming out and your loosehead has to prevent this by getting his bind in behind the tighthead. The power though comes from the engine room, which is why you can compensate in your front row with more mobile props who help you contest the breakdown. You cannot put all of the Sharks scrummaging problems down to the front row.
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