Cheetahs suffer late heartbreak as Springbok Herschel Jantjies inspires Bayonne win

Frans Steyn's side overturned a nine-point half-time deficit to lead 27-22, but Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies produced a decisive counter-attacking try in the closing stages to snatch victory for the hosts at Stade Jean-Dauger.

The result leaves the Cheetahs with a losing bonus point, although their performance offered encouragement after they lost all four pool matches in last season's competition.

The visitors made an encouraging start, opening the scoring through Michael Annies, who finished a well-worked attacking move in the corner. Tiaan Swanepoel converted after the Cheetahs had earlier taken advantage of a penalty to establish a 10-0 lead.

Bayonne responded through hooker Facundo Bosch, who scored from a rolling maul, before centre Federico Mori exploited space in midfield to put the French side ahead. Fullback Yohan Orabe added another try as the hosts began to find their rhythm.

Bosch crossed for his second before the interval, again exposing the Cheetahs' struggles to contain Bayonne's powerful driving maul. Although the conversion was missed, the hosts went into half-time with a 22-13 advantage.

The Cheetahs, however, returned with renewed purpose and quickly turned the contest around.

Centre Carel-Jan Coetzee pounced on a kick into space to score, with Swanepoel adding the conversion. The visitors continued to put pressure on Bayonne, earning territory and penalties before hooker Louis van der Westhuizen finished a powerful rolling maul.

Swanepoel's successful conversion put the Cheetahs 27-22 ahead with around 30 minutes remaining, leaving the hosts under pressure as the visitors threatened to extend their advantage.

But the Bloemfontein side failed to make their dominance count. Swanepoel missed several opportunities to add to the lead, while handling errors and missed chances prevented the visitors from building a decisive cushion.

Bayonne capitalised when Jantjies, introduced from the bench in the second half, collected the ball and sprinted more than 50 metres to score following a turnover. Flyhalf Rob du Preez converted to restore the home side's lead at 29-27.

The Cheetahs had opportunities to snatch victory in the closing minutes, with Bayonne surrendering possession through a series of lineout errors. However, the visitors could not turn those chances into points before time expired.

Despite the narrow defeat, the Cheetahs showed considerable fight against top-level opposition and will take confidence from their second-half display, even as their missed opportunities proved costly.

They will look to build on that performance when they host the Dragons at their adopted home ground, St Helen's in Swansea, on 13 December.

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