Faf de Klerk steals last-gasp victory for Cheetahs in Currie Cup thriller

The hosts opened the scoring via scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer in the 12th minute. The hosts fielded a clearance kick and threw wave after wave of attack. The nippy No.9 three a dummy and sniped around the blind side to sneak over the whitewash.

The Cheetahs bounced back immediately. A maul took the ball close, then winger Prince Nkabinde took matters into his own hands to pick up and drive over for the try.

After a lengthy period camped down in the Cheetahs 22m, the Stormers XXIII finally converted. Prop Vernon Palo had had enough of this passing business, took the penalty tap himself and powered over the tryline with some friends on his back from 5m out. Jean-Luc du Plessis added the extras and the players went down the tunnel with the hosts 14-5 ahead.

The Cheetahs started the second stanza like a house on fire. They rumbled up the park with penalty after penalty and a flurry of pick up and drives at the line saw Neels Volschenk crash over. Clayton Blommetjies added the extras to get within two points.

A try from a quick tap saw the Stormers XXIII pull clear. They kept the ball close with their ball-carriers to bash it up in front and back rower Wandile Mlaba was the next to go over. But the replacement went from hero to zero, as just minutes later, he was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.

The Cheetahs took advantage immediately, with a well-worked move seeing winger Michael Annies running a great angle to score, taking it to 21-19.

And the visitors kept up the pressure. Hot on attack, de Klerk attempted to take advantage of the overlap just 10m out from the line, but Xola Nyali stuck out a hand to prevent the pass, leaving the referee no choice but to show a yellow card and award a penalty try with ten minutes to go.  

But Mlaba's tumultuous afternoon continued. The Stormers XXIII had some enterprising play to get 5m out, then Mlaba picked up quickly off the back of the ruck to squeeze between two tacklers and score. But replacement flyhalf Kyle Smith missed the conversion, locking the scores at 26-all with seconds remaining.

Veteran de Klerk made sure the Cheetahs had the last laugh. Taking it through the phases against 14 men, the Bok darted over in the corner in the 80th minute to snatch the victory.

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