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The Cell C Sharks 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby campaign was dealt a disappointing blow when they went down 35-29 to the visiting Cheetahs at Growthpoint KINGS PARK on Saturday.
They suffered a major setback before the game had even starte d. Kyle Cooper came in for Bismarck du Plessis at hooker in a late change to the starting line-up, with Pat Lambie taking over the captaincy for this opening game.
It was helter-skelter stuff in the opening minutes as both sides looked to put pressure on the opposition and some exciting passages of play were delivered by both sides. It was tough and uncompromising - as one would expect, Pat Lambie opening the scoring with a penalty just outside the opening 10 minutes.
The joy was short-lived as the Cheetahs struck back almost immediately, Jean Cook scoring out wide and Joe Pietersen converting. The physical nature of the game, as we have come to expect in South African derbies, was relentless.
Although Pietersen added another penalty to match a second from Lambie, the next move leading to Lambie’s try was a thing of beauty as Tera Mtembu caught out the approaching scrumhalf and made a half break that put his team on the front foot and then it was a matter of retaining possession for the flyhalf to score under the sticks, making it an easy conversion.
However, the Cheetahs were stung into action and a quick attack earned them full reward as outside centre Francois Venter was able to score his team’s second try and push them into a four point lead with the successful conversion.
The flyhalves traded penalties, Pat Lambie striking over his third on the stroke of half-time following a massive scrum from his forwards that saw the visitors penalised on their own ball, to leave his side trailing by four points at the break.
Pietersen struck first blood for the Cheetahs as they pushed their lead to seven points with an early penalty, but the powerful Cell C Sharks scrum was gaining a strong advantage at this crucial set-piece.
The tempo was being raised by the home side who added a fourth penalty and started to find their rhythm on attack, asking all kinds of questions of the visitors.
A fifth Lambie penalty following a dangerous tackle, saw the home side to within a solitary point of the Cheetahs 15 minutes into the second half and suddenly the visitors were starting to find the pressure a little bit much to bear. Their discipline was starting to fail them and they were spilling balls on attack.
But they managed to put together a very effective driving maul, sending Boom Prinsloo over for their third try to give themselves a six point lead. Their confidence restored, they powered over for another try, the bonus point which took them into a commanding 13 point lead.
A wonderful team effort saw Lwazi Mvovo over for his team’s second try after some great work by Jean Deysel, back for the Cell C Sharks, and Lambie’s conversion meant the deficit was just six points going into the final five minutes of the match.
A tense few minutes ensued as the Cheetahs failed to clear and they handed possession back to the home side. There were agonising moments as they hammered away at the Cheetahs’ defence. Finally Marcell Coetzee went over but it was referred to the TMO. Hearts were back in throats with the painful wait.
The ball was ruled lost forward – no try – but there was still penalty advantage. With a minute’s play left, the Cell C Sharks still had the chance to win the game, but the ball was lost on attack and the game was over.
Scorers:
Cell C Sharks: 29 (16)
Tries: Pat Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo
Conversions: Pat Lambie (2)
Penalties: Pat Lambie (5)
Cheetahs: 35 (20)
Tries: Jean Cook, Francois Venter, Boom Prinsloo, Carl Wegner
Conversions: Joe Pietersen (2), Willie du Plessis (1)
Penalties: Joe Pietersen (3)
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