The Toyota Cheetahs held on to claim a tense 38-31 victory over a resilient Novavit Griffons outfit in a stop-start SA Cup match marred by eight yellow cards. Despite leading for most of the contest, the hosts were nearly undone by second-half ill-discipline but managed to secure a critical bonus-point win in Bloemfontein.
First Half: Cheetahs Capitalize on Early Pressure
The Cheetahs burst out of the gates, scoring through Rewan Kruger (3’) after a Griffons yellow card to Chris Hollis disrupted their defensive structure. The visitors hit back via Willem Van Den Hever (19′), converted by Andrew Kota, but the Cheetahs responded swiftly with tries from Prince Nkabinde (22’) and Andy Ntsila (35’).
Cohen Jasper was perfect from the tee in the first half, converting both tries to send the Cheetahs into the break with a 19-10 lead.
Second Half: Cards Galore and a Griffons Fightback
The second half descended into chaos, with multiple yellow cards shown to the Griffons (Xolani Jacobs, Thomas Ongera, Mthokozisi Gumede, Kyle Cyster) and the Cheetahs’ Michael Annies also sent to the bin.
Despite being down to 13 at one stage, the Griffons mounted a thrilling comeback:
- Junior Banda (52′), Kyle Cyster (57′), and a penalty try (66′) helped narrow the deficit.
- Duan Pretorius kicked three conversions and a penalty to keep his side within reach.
However, the Cheetahs kept scoring:
- Michael Annies (48’), Vernon Paulo (61’), and Daniel Maartens (68′) crossed the line in key moments.
- Jasper added two more conversions to end with four in total.
Yellow Card Summary
- Griffons (5): Hollis, Jacobs, Ongera, Gumede, Cyster (2x)
- Cheetahs (1): Annies
Standout Performers
- Cohen Jasper (Cheetahs): 4 conversions, tactical control from fullback.
- Duan Pretorius (Griffons): 1 penalty, 3 conversions, kept the visitors in the game.
- Kyle Cyster (Griffons): Scored a try but also received two yellow cards, nearly costing his team.
Final Thoughts
The Toyota Cheetahs will be relieved to escape with the win in a game that threatened to get away from them due to poor discipline. While the Griffons showed remarkable resilience, their ill-discipline at key moments was ultimately their undoing.
This result keeps the Cheetahs in strong contention for a top spot in the SA Cup, while the Griffons, despite showing attacking firepower, will need to address their defensive discipline if they hope to progress.
