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This is a rare franchise-level meeting between the Cheetahs and the Sharks. Apart from a 2020 Super Rugby Unlocked clash, these teams last met at franchise-level in the 2017 Super Rugby competition.
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The Challenge Cup match officials are:
Referee: Andrea Piardi
Assistant referees: Benoit Rousselet, Filippo Russo
TMO: Eric Gauzins
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Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Francois Venter, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Phepsi Buthelezi, 6 James Venter, 5 Le Roux Roets, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Daniel Jooste, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Jeandre Labuschagne, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Ethan Hooker
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Cheetahs: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Daniel Kasende, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Reinhardt Fortuin, 11 Cohen Jasper, 10 George Lourens, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Friedle Olivier, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (c), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Hencus van Wyk, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Cameron Dawson
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Laurance Victor, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Sibabalo Qoma, 22 Rewan Kruger, 23 Ali Mgijima
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Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Challenge Cup match between the Cheetahs and the Sharks from the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
1'
KICK OFF: The Sharks kick off deep and the Cheetahs gather and kick out near their own ten metre line shy of halfway.
2'
Pienaar shows up the Sharks in a kicking battle and sends the visitors back into their own half for the next lineout.
3'
Van Vuuren overthrows and the Cheetahs are onto it. The kick through is well-covered by Kok but the Sharks have to drop out from the goal-line.
4'
Pienaar is happy to test the Sharks lineout in their own 22 as he rolls out a clever kick that has the visitors under the pump. The Sharks cannot get out of their own half now.
5'
A long kick allows the Cheetahs to run at the Sharks defence which just about holds up under examination until the Cheetahs spill it and the Sharks have a scrum feed 15 metres inside their own half.
7'
It takes a while to set the scrum and the a free kick goes the way of the Sharks at last. They want another scrum sensing they could get the full-arm penalty.
9'
The Sharks show great enterprise off the scrum and Kok is away and chips ahead bu Mafura gets back and kicks long with the Sharks eager to run it back.
The Cheetahs lose their feet and are penalised and the Sharks call for the tee.
10'
Bosch strikes a poor kick away to the left of the uprights and the Cheetahs will drop out from their 22.
11'
The Cheetahs ease the pressure with a long penalty kick to touch after Fassi misjudges a tackle. The Cheetahs have the lineout feed.
12'
The Cheetahs work a move off the lineout but Etzebeth gets a key interception.
13'
Mapimpi drops a high ball under pressure from chasers who couldn't possibly have been behind the kicker. Cheetahs scrum 15 inside the Sharks half will restart proceedings.
15'
Fassi makes a decent clearance but the Cheetahs have another lineout close to the Sharks 22.
17'
TRY, CHEETAHS, VAN DER MERWE, 5-0:
Van der Merwe finds space again from that front ball move at the lineout and powers over for the opening score.
17'
Mapimpi has to come across to gather a kick through to spare the Sharks' line. The Cheetahs have another lineout feed just five out.
19'
CONVERSION, CHEETAHS, PIENAAR, 7-0:
A superb kick from the touchline gets the Cheetahs rolling with a 7-0 lead.
20'
Van Vuuren duffs another lineout and the Sharks are sent back in defence. The Sharks get another penalty on halfway and have to try the lineout again from the Cheetahs 22.
20'
The Sharks restart short and win the ball. The Cheetahs lose their feet and the Sharks reject the shot at goal and go to a lineout inside the Cheetahs 22.
22'
TRY, SHARKS, ETZEBETH, 7-5:
Etzebeth takes charge in the maul and muscles the Sharks over.
22'
The Cheetahs are penalised again, this time the offence is at lineout time.
24'
CONVERSION, SHARKS, BOSCH, 7-7:
Bosch levels the scores with his first succesful kick.
25'
Buthelezi gets isolated after a turnover but there was a knock on by the Cheetahs. The Sharks have a scrum just inside their own half and might look to launch from here.
27'
A poor scrum forces the Sharks to scramble back in defence and they eventually kick clear through Williams. The Cheetahs probe but they then kick dead.
28'
The Sharks have played 73 percent of this match in their own half and this scrum is just inside their territory however they can get away if they can clear the ball.
29'
TRY, CHEETAHS, VAN DER MERWE, 12-7:
Van der Merwe drives over to score after a quick tap.
30'
Pienaar cannot convert this one from out wide.
32'
The Cheetahs make a clinical exit with a kick to touch close to halfway. The Sharks then lose the ball after another poor lineout.
34'
Mafura kicks to touch from his 22 and the Sharks ask if he wasn't outside. The referee was happy though.
35'
The Sharks go early at the lineout and get blown up in a tight call.
37'
The Cheetahs think they have scored as the Assistant Referee misses a foot in touch but the TMO advises the hapless officials on the pitch.
38'
The Sharks get lucky as they go over the top of the lineout and the Cheetahs pounce but they knock on and the Sharks have a scrum.
40'
HALF TIME: CHEETAHS 15-7 SHARKS
The Cheetahs have held the wood over the Sharks in this half. The Sharks have been poor at the lineout which has destroyed their game. Meanwhile the Cheetahs continue to look dangerous with ball in hand.
40'
PENALTY, CHEETAHS, PIENAAR, 15-7:
Pienaar slots the penalty kick.
40'
The Sharks get it out of the scrum eventually and Fassi finds touch but still the Cheetahs are camped in their half.
41'
TRY, SHARKS, VENTER, 15-12:
The Sharks show their counterattacking strength as they find space and Venter goes in to score on his former home ground.
41'
The second half is underway.
43'
Bosch cannot convert the try but the Sharks have made a great start to the half.
44'
The Cheetahs are fortunate to win a breakdown penalty almost immediately after the restart.
45'
PENALTY, CHEETAHS, PIENAAR, 18-12:
Pienaar gives the Cheetahs a six-point lead.
48'
The Cheetahs secure a precious turnover that allows them to get out of trouble after anothe concerted Sharks attack. The Sharks are complaining about the turnover but get no dice from the referee.
50'
Pienaar again provides the clearance up to the Cheetahs 10 and the Sharks try again from the lineout.
52'
The Cheetahs intercept in midfield but knock on and the Sharks have the attacking scrum feed again.
54'
Rudolph is penalised for a deliberate knock on and the Sharks turn down the shot at goal.
55'
TRY, SHARKS, WILLIAMS, 18-17:
Williams gets over after a nifty little step as the maul is just stopped.
56'
CONVERSION, SHARKS, BOSCH, 18-19:
Bosch puts the Sharks into the lead.
57'
The Cheetahs get done for a neck roll on attack and that will allow the Sharks to switch play.
58'
Lourens finds a good touch from his 22 but the Sharks will have a chance to put them under pressure if they can secure the lineout.
60'
PENALTY, SHARKS, BOSCH, 18-22:
The Sharks slot the penalty and the teams will take on water.
60'
Bosch is going to line up a massive kick here with a penalty just inside his own half.
61'
A hurried clearance from Hendrikse will give the Cheetahs an attacking lineout.
63'
TRY, CHEETAHS, MAARTENS, 23-22:
Maartens gets onto a loose ball quickest and will score a try out of nothing.
64'
CONVERSION, CHEETAHS, PIENAAR, 25-22:
Pienaar converts.
65'
TRY, SHARKS, MAPIMPI, 25-27:
Mapimpi takes it out wide after the cross-kick from Bosch and will score.
65'
Pienaar does well with a clearance that takes play towards halfway.
66'
CONVERSION, SHARKS, BOSCH, 25-29:
Bosch converts.
68'
The Sharks attack with advantage again and think they have scored.
70'
The Sharks take a tap penalty instead of going to their faulty lineout. The Cheetahs give up another penalty and this time the Sharks will go to the lineout.
71'
The referee allows a long break here ahead of the lineout. The Sharks could kill this game off with a try now.
72'
The changed front rows get a pre-scrum lecture with the referee happy to have this match progress at a glacial pace.
72'
The Cheetahs get up into the Sharks line and they knock on with the referee happy that it wasn't deliberate.
73'
The Sharks scrum is sloppy and Hendrikse's pass doesn't go to hand. The Cheetahs clear but then the Sharks concede a penalty that allows Pienaar to switch play right into the Sharks 22.
75'
TRY, CHEETAHS, JASPER, 30-29:
Jasper gets the crowd on their feet with a great little run on the outside to score.
76'
CONVERSION, CHEETAHS, PIENAAR, 32-29:
Pienaar makes sure of his conversion.
77'
Pienaar makes a clam clearance and the Sharks have a lineout just inside the Cheetahs half.
79'
The Cheetahs are resolute in defence even if they have knocked on in the tackle. The Sharks have a scrum just inside their own half with time running out.
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FULL TIME: CHEETAHS 32-29 SHARKS
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The Cheetahs stop a Sharks maul and will have the scrum. They just need to close out the last few seconds.
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