Hurricanes v Cheetahs match report
The Hurricanes outscored the Cheetahs two tries to one, but the dead-eye goalkicking of Cheetahs five-eighths Naas Olivier and Meyer Bosman won the day for the home side. First five Olivier and second five Bosman combined to kick all the Cheetahs' eight shots on goal, including seven penalties and the conversion of their match winning try to replacement flanker Kabamba Floors early in the second half.
Floors' try with half an hour remaining doubled the Cheetahs halftime seven point lead to put them out to two converted tries ahead and the Hurricanes were unable to come back in the face of a committed Cheetahs side who restricted their attacking opportunities and capitalised on their ill-discipline.
The Hurricanes' task was made harder with the loss of two players to the sinbin in separate incidents, second five-eighth Maa Nonu in the first half and replacement lock Jeremy Thrush in the second.
The Hurricanes trailed the home side 5-12 at halftime after weathering a frenetic Cheetahs attack and the sinbinning of Nonu for a dangerous tackle for the final 10 minutes of the half.
This came moments after Bosman had kicked the Cheetahs' fourth penalty after the Hurricanes had scored the only try of the first half to left wing David Smith but halfback Piri Weepu had missed all three shots on goal including the conversion of the try and two penalty opportunities.
Bosman had been successful with the first kick of the match following an early miss to Weepu.
But the Hurricanes hit back moments later in clinical fashion with their first try off the game to left wing Smith after the Cheetahs had conceded lineout ball on their own 22-metre line. Skipper Andrew Hore found a clean target at the set-piece in lock Bryn Evans, allowing the backs to spin the ball across the Cheetahs posts to Smith who wriggled over the line for the five-pointer.
Olivier and Bosman replied with their teams second and third penalties to put the Cheetahs back in the lead at 9-5 after 23 minutes, the second from Bosman from his own side of halfway.
The Hurricanes went close to scoring their second try following a quick tap penalty and surge ahead into Cheetahs territory by No. 8 Rodney Sooialo and a concerted period of phase play saw the movement snuffed out with desperate defence in the corner with Nonu bundled into touch.
Bosman pushed their lead out to 12-5, ahead of Nonus sinbinning and a frenetic passage of attack by the Cheetahs that was halted by a try-saving steal at the breakdown by Hore.
The Cheetahs extended their advantage to 14 points with the video referee awarding Floors a try near the corner flag after a counterattack in broken play and Olivier converted from the sideline. The Hurricanes now had to score three times over the closing half hour of play to win.
Bosman then made this harder with another monster penalty to make it 22-5, followed by a sixth penalty of the evening to Olivier to extend this lead to 25-5 heading into the last quarter of the match.
The Cheetahs pressed hard to seal the outcome but the Hurricanes held off a concerted period of attack, losing replacement lock Jeremy Thrush in the process to the sinbin for killing play on the Hurricanes line.
Fullback Cory Jane ran hard for a well-deserved try and replacement first five-eighth Willie Ripia converted to close the gap to 25-12 with 10 minutes remaining, but a late revival was ended when Olivier added another three-pointer to secure victory for the Cheetahs.
This win for the Cheetahs over the Hurricanes was their second in six encounters, following their first win over the Hurricanes in Bloemfontein in 2006.
The Hurricanes play their second match of their three-match South African tour against the Stormers in Cape Town next Sunday morning (New Zealand time).
Scores:
Hurricanes 12: David Smith, Cory Jane tries; Willie Ripia con.
Cheetahs 28: Kabamba Floors try; Meyer Bosman 4 pen; Naas Olivier con, 3 pen.
Hurricanes 12: David Smith, Cory Jane tries; Willie Ripia con.
HT: 5-12
The scoring action by minute:
8th Meyer Bosman penalty Cheetahs 3-0
10th: David Smith try Hurricanes 5-3
16th: Naas Olivier penalty Cheetahs 6-5
23rd: Meyer Bosman penalty Cheetahs 9-5
31st: Meyer Bosman penalty Cheetahs 12-5
49th: Kabamba Floors try Cheetahs 17-5
50th: Naas Olivier conversion Cheetahs 19-5
52nd: Meyer Bosman penalty Cheetahs 22-5
59th: Naas Olivier penalty Cheetahs 25-5
70th: Cory Jane try Cheetahs 25-10
71st: Willie Ripia try Cheetahs 25-12
77th: Naas Olivier penalty Cheetahs 28-12
The Hurricanes team was:
1. John Schwalger
2. Andrew Hore (captain)
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Bryn Evans
5. Michael Paterson
6. Victor Vito
7. Karl Lowe
8. Rodney So'oialo
9. Piri Weepu
10. Aaron Cruden
11. David Smith
12. Maa Nonu
13 Alapati Leiua
14. Andre Taylor
15. Cory Jane
Reserves
16. Dane Coles
17. Anthony Perenise
18. Jeremy Thrush
19. Scott Waldrom
20. Tyson Keats
21. Willie Ripia
22. Brett Mather
