The Toyota Cheetahs are heading into the Currie Cup with renewed confidence following their thrilling win over Georgia in Bloemfontein on Friday night – a fitting way to round off their 130th anniversary celebrations in style.
The Cheetahs edged out Georgia 24-20 after leading 14-7 at half-time, claiming a morale-boosting victory, even though the visitors did not field their strongest possible side. Regardless, a win over an international team is no small feat, and it did feel like the Free Staters left a few points out on the park.
Free State opened the scoring through debutant Ntokozo Makhaza, who flew over for his first try as a professional player. The left-winger Banie Britz then doubled the lead, going over in the corner after a clever grubber kick by Ethan Wentzel.
Shortly before the break, Georgia hit back through Shalva Aptsiauri, who scored the first of his two tries. Early in the second half, Aptsiauri intercepted a pass to complete his brace and level the scores. It was a tense finish, but Makhaza crossed in the right-hand corner just minutes from full-time to seal a memorable match-winning try.
Cheetahs captain Victor Sekekete told Bloemfontein Courant that the win was both important and emotional for the team.
“This win was emotional for us – it brought back so much desire, so much hunger,” said Sekekete, who led the team to Currie Cup glory in 2023.
“We always feel like we’re on the verge. Every time we get close to the top, we lose players. Every time we start building something, something else happens. But we’ve just kept our heads down and worked even harder.
“So for us, the ability to keep pushing despite all the setbacks is a huge positive. We’ve been focusing on ourselves, and I think that’s something we’re getting right at the moment.
“We’re focusing on what we can control, and doing it to the best of our ability. If everyone gives 100%, then we can’t fault anyone – win or lose.”
While the Cheetahs’ attention now shifts to their Currie Cup opener against the Boland Cavaliers in Wellington on 27 July, the victory over Georgia also bodes well for their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign, which kicks off in December. There, they’ll test themselves against top-tier opposition including the Exeter Chiefs (England), Stade Français (France), Ulster (Northern Ireland), and Racing 92 (France).
The Cheetahs will kick off their European campaign on 7 December at Sandy Park in England, where they’ll face Exeter. – MORGAN PIEK
