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The Cheetahs were crowned 2023 Currie Cup champions after a hard-fought 25-17 victory over the Pumas in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The home team scored three tries to the Pumas' one as they lifted their seventh Currie Cup title in their history.
The final was off to a slow start as the score was 6-6 after 25 minutes after Ruan Pienaar and Tinus de Beer traded a couple of penalties.
The Cheetahs then scored the first try of the match on the half-hour mark when centre Reinhardt Fortuin went over but Pienaar was unsuccessful with the conversion.
The Pumas though showed why they are defending champions and hit back with a try by Ali Mgijima with De Beer missing the conversion to leave the scores level at 11-11.
The Cheetahs found an extra gear just before the halftime interval and crossed for their second try through left-wing Cohen Jasper.
Pienaar slotted the extra two points from the kicking tee as the hosts took a 18-11 lead into the break.
The Pumas came out firing at the start of the second half and De Beer slotted two penalties to reduce the deficit to just one point.
The Cheetahs, urged on by a monstrous home crowd, extended their lead just before the hour mark when scrumhalf Rewan Kruger went over for vital try.
Pienaar slotted the conversion as the home side took a 25-17 lead and then managed the game with aplomb to see it out and take the Currie Cup trophy.
Cheetahs 25 (18) Tries: Reinhardt Fortuin, Cohen Jasper, Rewan Kruger Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (2) Penalties: Pienaar (2)
Pumas 17 (11) Try: Ali Mgijima Penalties: Tinus de Beer (4)
