Currie Cup: Faf de Klerk stars again as Cheetahs hold off Boland in Bloemfontein

The hosts ran in five tries to the visitors' three to put daylight between them and the third-placed Pumas on the Currie Cup table.

The opening try arrived after 21 minutes when Cheetahs hooker Juan Smal powered over from a driving maul. Tiaan Swanepoel converted to give the hosts a 7-0 lead.

Boland responded through lock Johnre Stopforth, who stretched over after the visitors' maul had failed to produce the desired result. Ashlon Davids added the conversion to level the scores.

Davids then kicked a penalty before half-time to give Boland a 10-7 advantage at the break.

The Cheetahs came out strongly in the second stanza. Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk created the opening before linking with centre Zander du Plessis, who crossed for the try. Swanepoel converted as the hosts regained the lead at 14-10.

Boland's discipline then unravelled, with no fewer than four players copping yellow cards for ill-discipline. At one stage, the visitors were down to 12 players. The Cheetahs capitalised, with de Klerk powering over from close range for their third try.

The hosts extended their advantage when winger Michael Annies crossed for the bonus-point try, putting the Cheetahs 26-10 ahead in the 67th minute.

Despite being severely depleted, Boland refused to surrender. Joshua Eras powered over for their second try, with Davids converting to reduce the deficit to 26-17.

But the flying Annies then grabbed his second try of the afternoon to restore the Cheetahs' 16-point advantage with ten minutes to play.

Boland finished strongly, with Bentley Geldenhuys using his pace to race over for their third try. Davids converted to make it 33-24 and that was all she wrote for Sunday's Currie Cup action.

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