The Cheetahs went high of the Currie Cup desk after demolishing a younger Lions workforce in a bonus-point victory that was quickly disrupted by lightning in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
With the 66-14 win, the Cheetahs overhauled the Sharks into first place due to a superior factors distinction, with each groups at the moment unbeaten and on 18 factors.
It was a really one-sided affair by which the Lions had no actual reply to the Cheetahs’ onslaught. Even a lightning storm within the first half, which threatened to have the sport deserted, did little to have an effect on the dominance loved by the house facet.
There can be some concern from the Cheetahs over the health of flyhalf Siya Masuku, who needed to be substituted within the first half after taking a knock when he was tackled late.
The Cheetahs scored three tries within the first 19 minutes however the sport was then halted and gamers known as off the sphere resulting from climate considerations. A nervous wait ultimately ended and the sport resumed simply two minutes earlier than the deadline at which period the sport would have been known as off.
Nevertheless, the Cheetahs continued unperturbed as they nearly instantly scored the bonus-point attempt, and the hosts have been then awarded a penalty attempt after the Lions collapsed a maul on their line and flank Sibusiso Sangweni was yellow-carded.
Paradoxically, the Lions put collectively their greatest assault when Sangweni was off, as No 8 Jarod Cairns ran a superb line to interrupt the road and sprinted clear for his or her first attempt.
The Cheetahs’ sixth attempt got here in opposition to the run of play when, after profitable a counter-ruck simply exterior their very own 22, some great interchanging between Ruan Pienaar and hooker Wilmar Arnoldi put flank Gideon van der Merwe over, giving them a 38-7 half-time lead.
The Lions have been quickest out of the blocks within the second half and hooker PJ Botha completed after a protracted interval of phases close to the tryline. Nevertheless, the rout continued because the Cheetahs added an extra 4 tries to take them past 60 factors and seal a complete win.
