The Central Cheetahs overturned an 11-point deficit at half-time and restricted the Golden Cats to just a penalty goal in the second period to run out 28-23 winners in their Super 14 clash on Saturday.
Two second-half tries and three penalties by replacement flyhalf Meyer Bosman in a strong final 40 minutes by the home team was enough to see the competition’s new Super 14 team to their fifth win of the year in the southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship.
It was the Cats’ 10th defeat in the competition.
The Cheetahs managed just three penalties in the first period, two by flyhalf Willem de Waal and one by winger Gaffie du Toit. They never got close to scoring a try in what was arguably the Cheetahs’ most disappointing 40 minutes of the season.
The Cats, winners on just two occasions this year, were not much better, but they did at least create a few chances.
In other matches this weekend, the Wellington Hurricanes repulsed a second-half siege from New South Wales Waratahs to cling on to a 19-14 victory on Saturday to claim a home Super 14 rugby semifinal against the Waratahs next weekend, while the Chiefs beat the Blues 30-9. — AFP
