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Four-star Nel leads Cheetahs to first win

rugby01 August 2025 19:23| © SuperSport
By:Brendon Atwell
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Scrumhalf Jandre Nel scored four tries as the Toyota Cheetahs secured their first Carling Currie Cup victory with a 42-25 (halftime 28-13) triumph over the Airlink Pumas at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Friday evening.

The nuggety halfback was joined on the scoresheet by Neels Volschenk and CJ Coetzee as the Cheetahs ran in six tries for a bonus-point victory.

Flyhalf Tiaan Swanepoel landed five conversions with winger Cohen Jasper slotting the final conversion with Swanepoel off the field.

The visitors, who suffered their first defeat in all competitions this season, scored four tries of their own with scrumhalf Ross Braude bagging a brace while centre Sango Zamlashe and centre Wian van Niekerk added their names to that of Braude.

It was not a good night for flyhalf Danrich Visagie as the pivot managed just a single conversion and penalty while missing three relatively easy conversions.

The Pumas, fresh from their opening win against the Suzuki Griquas in Mbombela last Friday night, looked to assert themselves early on.

However, the home side subdued the early onslaught, with both teams putting the ball to boot looking for some ascendancy.

The deadlock was broken after quarter of an hour when the Pumas managed a good maul on the righthand side of the field.

Hooker Eduan Swart broke free of the maul and offloaded with a back-hand pass to Braude who darted over for the opening score, which Visagie was unable to convert.

However, the try sparked the home side into life and they struck back almost immediately, almost in similar fashion as the forwards mauled up the field, only for Nel to break, side-step some defenders and score under the posts, handing Swanepoel an easy conversion for a three-point lead.

Despite a penalty from the boot of Visagie, the Cheetahs scored their second try through Nel, who read the Pumas attack brilliantly, intercepting and charging 70m down the field to score his second of the night, and handing the home side a six-point advantage with Swanepoel adding the extra two points.

With 10 minutes to go until the break, the hosts extended their lead even further with Nel bagging his hat-trick.

The Cheetahs had produced sustained pressure on the visiting line and with the play moving left and right, centre Marco Janse van Vuren broke through a half-tackle and offloaded to Nel, who barged his way over.

The Pumas came storming back, looking for a way back into the contest and with the home side giving away a penalty close to their own tryline, the Canadian international Braude reacted smarlty with a quick-tap to dart over.

However, the home side would have the final say of the first half as No 8 Volschenk picked up from the base of a strong scrum to barge over.

The hosts went into the changeroom 15 points to the good as Swanepoel landed his fourth conversion of the evening.

DAZZLING TRY

The second period began just as the first had ended, with the Cheetahs on the attack and the home side needed just eight minutes to score their fifth try of the night.

Fullback James Verity-Amm had switched play from the right to the left, and receiving the ball at a virtual stand-still, centre Coetzee broke through two defenders, side-stepped two more to score one of the best tries of the night.

Coach Frans Steyn would have been happy with his side’s defensive efforts as they repelled one Pumas attack after the next as the visitors looked left, right and centre to find a gap to score.

The visitors eventually found a way through after sustained pressure with fullback Tino Swanepoel drawing in two defenders before offloading to Zamlashe who barged over.

But with Visagie forgetting his kicking boots back at the hotel, the score still left the visitors 17 points adrift.

Try as they might the Pumas fought hard but could only break the Cheetahs' dam wall with four minutes left on the clock as Braude flicked a quick pass out to Van Niekerk on the left to go over and with Visagie finally landing a conversion, the 10-point deficit would seem just too much.

As from the kick-off, the Cheetahs came piling into the ruck, turned the ball over only for man-of-the-match Nel to dart through and scored his fourth of the night.

SCORERS

TOYOTA CHEETAHS – Tries: Jandre Nel (4), Neels Volschenk, CJ Coetzee; Conversions: Tiaan Swanepoel (5), Cohen Jasper.

AIRLINK PUMAS – Tries: Ross Braude (2), Sango Zamlashe, Wian van Niekerk; Conversion: Danrich Visagie; Penalty: Visagie.

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