MELBOURNE, March 18 (Reuters) – An 81st-minute try by
replacement Piet van Zyl gave the Cheetahs their first victory
of the Super Rugby season with a dramatic 33-26 away win over
the Melbourne Rebels on Sunday.
With two minutes left and the game tied at 26-26, the
Cheetahs, who lost in the final minute last weekend to the ACT
Brumbies, ran the ball from their own 22 through several phases
to come up with the winning score.
Replacement flyhalf Sias Ebersohn made a decisive break and
scrumhalf Van Zyl won a sprint to the corner to end the
Cheetahs’ three-game losing start and leave the crestfallen
Rebels as the only team yet to record a victory this year.
“We are very happy with the win after we let one or two
games slip but we can move forward now and I’m very proud of the
guys for hanging in there,” Cheetahs captain and hooker Adriaan
Strauss said in a pitchside interview.
The Cheetahs attacking intent was on show in the opening
stages and winger Willie Le Roux scored a try in the corner
following a sweeping move after just two minutes, flyhalf Johan
Goosen converting from long range.
The Rebels were quick to respond and their forward pack
instigated a strong rolling maul and hooker Adam Freier touched
down for a try which Rebels flyhalf James O’Connor converted to
level the scores at 7-7 after eight minutes.
O’Connor was looking dangerous with ball in hand in his
first start for the Rebels at flyhalf but one over-ambitious
long pass was easily intercepted by Le Roux who raced in for his
second try after 10 minutes.
The Rebels were guilty of poor tactical kicking and their
indiscipline allowed Goosen to stretch the lead to 20-10 with
two penalties before halftime.
However, the home side improved after the break and
O’Connor, after slotting a penalty, showed some brilliant skill
to step inside two tackles and score a try under the posts ten
minutes into the second period to tie the game at 20-20.
Continued…
