Highlanders edge in as Cheetahs choke

Cheetahs (15) 41

players, like Ox Nche, Tian Meyer, Raymond Rhule and William Small-Smith turning in excellent performances.

Having changed sides 15-10 up and seemingly in control of the match, and with the Highlanders having lost two men to the sin-bin for ill-discipline, Franco Smith’s men were coasting to victory. But the Highlanders, champions two years ago, had other ideas.

They scored converted tries by Tevita Li, Matt Faddes and a second by Waisake Naholo in the final five minutes to steal the win. It left the Cheetahs players shattered on the field after they had produced arguably their best performance of the competition.

Smith had earlier in the week asked his players to produce an 80-minute performance after ear- lier showing good signs against the likes of the Chiefs and Crusaders to just lose in the latter stages of the match and again last night they failed to go to the very end. And how it cost them.

After a rather forgettable first half where the Cheetahs scored tries by Meyer and Petersen to the one by Marty Banks for the Highlanders, the second 40 minutes burst into life from the off.

Torsten van Jaarsveld went over in the 45th minute to help his side into a deserved 22-10 lead but before they could even celebrate their strong position they gave it up, by conceding tries to Rob Thompson and Naholo.

The ding-dong battle then swung the way of the Cheetahs again after tries by Oupa Mohoje, a second by Meyer and a stunner by Nche, but the match was far from over.

Uzair Cassiem, who’d come on as a late replacement and who featured so prominently in Nche’s try, was yellow carded in the 73rrd minute and then the Highlanders struck. When the dust had settled, they’d scored three excellent tries, with Banks playing a major part in them and throughout the match.

The Highlanders No 10 isn’t flash and he’s certainly no Beauden Barrett (or Lima Sopoaga who he’s playing in place of at the Highlanders), but he does everything required of him and more. He was sensational in every aspect of his play last night and had a big hand in the victory.

For the Cheetahs it’s back to the proverbial drawing board as they seek to find the answer of playing for the full 80 minutes.