Cheetahs lock ignites Springbok call-up talks after making statement to Rassie Erasmus
Rugby NewsTuesday, 08 September 2026 at 06:28
The Pumas secured a tense 27-24 victory over the Free State Cheetahs in their Currie Cup semi-final, with fly-half Clinton Swart’s immaculate goal-kicking proving the difference.
Lock Pierre-Raymond Uys had a stand-out performance for the Cheetahs, with an impressive all-round outing that has started to spark his personal Springboks discussion. The 26-year-old wrestled his way over for a first half try, that capped off a tremendous shift for the Free State side.
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In a see-saw battle at Toyota Stadium, the visitors showed greater composure in the crucial moments to book their place at the final. The Cheetahs started strongly, using their rolling maul to devastating effect, with Pierre-Raymond Uys and the forward pack crossing for tries.
Jaco van der Walt kept the scoreboard ticking, but the Pumas remained in touch through Swart’s accurate boot. The momentum shifted decisively in the second half as the Pumas’ backs found space, with Ander Goedhals and Darren Adonis scoring superb individual tries. Swart’s conversions and a late penalty gave the visitors a lead the Cheetahs couldn’t close.
Carel-Jan Coetzee’s late try set up a grandstand finish, but the Cheetahs couldn’t find the decisive score. The Pumas’ defensive line held firm in the final minutes to seal the win. The Cheetahs’ season ends at the semi-final stage, while the Pumas now advance to the Currie Cup final. The Kimberly side will face Griquas after their dominant 52-12 victory over the lions.
MATCH SCORES
CHEETAHS: 24
TRIES: 3 (Pierre-Raymond Uys 34', Forward Pack 55', Carel-Jan Coetzee 67')
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Jaco van der Walt 35', 56')
PENALTIES: 1 (Jaco van der Walt 18')
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
STARTING XV: 15. Tapiwa Mafura 14. Prince Nkabinde 13. Evardi Boshoff 12. Ali Mgijima 11. Munier Hartzenberg 10. Jaco van der Walt 9. Sango Xamlashe 1. Schalk Ferreira 2. Carel-Jan Coetzee 3. Aranos Coetzee 4. Pierre-Raymond Uys 5. Victor Sekekete 6. Gideon van der Merwe 7. Stephan Krugel 8. Jeandrè Rudolph (c)
REPLACEMENTS: 16. Marnus van der Merwe 17. Alulutho Tshakweni 18. Robert Hunt 19. Carl Wegner 20. Marco Palvie 21. Neels Volschenk 22. George Lourens 23. Cohen Jasper
PUMAS: 27
TRIES: 3 (Andre Goedhals 43', Darren Adonis 52', Gustav du Rand 62')
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Clinton Swart 44', 53')
PENALTIES: 2 (Clinton Swart 39', 79')
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
STARTING XV: 15. Devon Williams 14. Triesman Colle 13. Sebastian de Klerk 12. Andre Goedhals 11. Darren Adonis 10. Clinton Swart 9. Lucky Dlepu 1. Ruan Kramer 2. Llewellyn Claassen 3. Khwezi Mona 4. Shane Kirkwood 5. Banie Britz 6. Maliele Pule 7. Phumzile Maqondwana 8. Willie Engelbrecht (c)
REPLACEMENTS: 16. Chyle van Zyl 17. Lwazi Nkobane 18. Etienne Janeke 19. Sampie Swiegers 20. Ntsika Fisanti 21. Thabo Ndimande 22. Sisonke Vumazonke 23. Junior Banda
CHEETAHS PLAYER RATINGS
15. Tapiwa Mafura 6/10
Solid under the high ball and offered a steady presence at the back but couldn't find the space to break the line.
14. Prince Nkabinde 7/10
A constant threat with ball in hand. One powerful break set up a try, but he was starved of quality possession.
13. Evardi Boshoff 6/10
Defended well in the midfield but was largely anonymous in attack as the Pumas' rush defence limited his impact.
12. Ali Mgijima 5/10
A quiet game by his standards. Made his tackles but couldn't get the attack firing, with several passes going astray.
11. Munier Hartzenburg 6/10
Looked lively in the first half but faded as the game wore on. Struggled to get involved as the Pumas dominated territory.
10. Jaco van der Walt 7/10
Kicked his goals well and tried to orchestrate attacks but was often under pressure from a well-organized Pumas defence.
9. Sango Xamlashe 6/10
Bright in patches and provided quick ball at times, but his box-kicking was occasionally inaccurate, relieving pressure.
8. Jeandrè Rudolph (c) 7/10
Led from the front with a tireless defensive display. Carried hard but was often met by multiple Pumas’ defenders.
7. Stephan Krugel 6/10
Worked hard in the breakdown battle but conceded a couple of crucial penalties that shifted momentum.
6. Gideon van der Merwe 6/10
Put in some big hits but was outshone by his opposite number. His influence waned in the second half.
5. Victor Sekekete 7/10
A dominant force in the lineout and carried effectively. His work rate was immense throughout the 80 minutes.
4. Pierre-Raymond Uys 8/10
The Cheetahs' best player. A tireless worker and the main driver of their effective rolling maul, which earned him a try.
3. Aranos Coetzee 6/10
Solid at scrum time but offered little around the park. Was replaced early in the second half.
2. Carel-Jan Coetzee 7/10
A livewire around the park, scoring a crucial try from close range. His lineout throwing was a mixed bag, however.
1. Schalk Ferreira 6/10
Put in a decent shift in the loose but was penalized for collapsing the scrum on one occasion.
REPLACEMENTS
16. Marnus van der Merwe N/A
Came on too late to make a meaningful impact.
17. Alulutho Tshakweni 6/10
Added energy in the loose but the scrum didn't improve significantly after his introduction.
18. Robert Hunt 6/10
Solid enough in the set-piece but couldn't replicate the impact of the starters.
19. Carl Wegner 5/10
Gave away a silly penalty at a crucial moment, allowing the Pumas to clear their lines.
20. Marco Palvie 6/10
Brought physicality off the bench but was mostly used as a defensive battering ram.
21. Neels Volschenk N/A
Not enough time to make a fair assessment.
22. George Lourens 6/10
Added some spark to the backline but couldn't unlock the Pumas' defence.
23. Cohen Jasper N/A
Introduced too late in the game to rate.
"We left it all out there" - Cheetahs captain laments errors in semi-final defeat
Speaking to SuperSport after the match, a dejected Cheetahs captain Jeandrè Rudolph admitted his side's costly errors proved decisive as they fell to a narrow defeat.
"It's a tough one to take. We left it all out there, but we were just a bit too inaccurate in key moments," Rudolph said. "We spoke about discipline being crucial in a knockout game, and we gave away a few too many penalties. Against a side like the Pumas, with a kicker like Clinton [Swart], you just can't do that."
The Cheetahs' powerful rolling maul had been a major weapon, delivering two tries, but the captain felt they didn't use it enough. "Our maul was functioning well, but we didn't get enough set-piece opportunities in their 22. In the second half, we played too much in our own half, and that made it difficult to build pressure."
Pumas fly-half Clinton Swart, named Player of the Match, was delighted with the result. "It was a proper semi-final. We knew it would be tough coming here, but we stuck to our game plan," Swart told SuperSport. "The boys showed great character, and we're absolutely buzzing to be in the final."
Pumas head coach Jimmy Stonehouse praised his side's composure. "We knew the Cheetahs would come at us with their maul, and we defended it well for the most part. The key was staying disciplined and taking our chances when they came," he said. "We're looking forward to the final now. It's going to be a great occasion."
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