Cheetahs go down fighting to Exeter Chiefs in Challenge Cup opener
The Cheetahs kicked off their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign with a 42-12 loss to Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Sunday evening.
Griquas power past Cheetahs to book Currie Cup final place
The victory earned them a spot in next weekend's final against the Lions in Johannesburg.
The Kimberley side looked the sharper outfit throughout and wasted no time asserting control. Lock Albert Liebenberg crashed over inside seven minutes, with tournament top scorer George Whitehead adding the conversion.
Moments later, winger Dylan Maart extended the lead with the first of his two tries, leaving the Cheetahs reeling.
The defending champions briefly clawed back momentum when winger Prince Nkabinde dotted down to reduce the deficit, but handling errors and lineout struggles prevented them from building further pressure.
Just before the interval, Griquas flanker Lourens "Vlam" Oosthuizen came close to stretching the advantage but lost the ball over the line.
Whitehead kept the scoreboard ticking with a penalty early in the second half before Maart struck again midway through the third quarter, sealing his brace and effectively putting the contest beyond reach.
The Cheetahs, who also exited at the semi-final stage last year, could not mount a response as penalties and sloppy execution stalled their progress.
The result underlined Griquas' dominance over their central rivals, having beaten them 40-10 in Bloemfontein earlier in the season.
Head coach Pieter Bergh's men looked more composed and clinical, ensuring they will challenge for the title in Johannesburg next Saturday.
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