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Two points separated the teams at the final whistle, but at Toyota Stadium on Saturday it felt like far less. The Cheetahs have opened their Currie Cup 2026 campaign with a 29-27 victory over the Lions, grinding out a home win that will matter enormously when the log tightens in the weeks ahead.
Bloemfontein delivered when it counted. The Cheetahs controlled enough of the contest to keep the Lions at arm's length for long stretches, but the visitors refused to fold, clawing back the deficit repeatedly to keep this one alive deep into the closing stages. Every time the Lions looked capable of stealing it, the home side found a response — the mark of a team with genuine belief in front of their own crowd.
The Lions will be frustrated. They had the ball, they had the moments, and they came within a converted try of opening their own account with a victory. Instead, they leave the Free State with nothing, facing a quick turnaround before hosting the Pumas at Ellis Park on 25 July. A loss in that fixture would put serious early pressure on their title credentials.
For the Cheetahs, the mood will be cautiously positive. Log points banked at home is the ideal start to a Currie Cup campaign, but coach and players alike will know that Friday's clash against the Sharks at Toyota Stadium is a far stiffer examination. The Sharks are always dangerous on the road, and any complacency after this narrow win would be punished swiftly.
