Currie Cup Wrap: Cheetahs hold off Lions, Boland boss Bulls

The Cheetahs raced into an 8-0 lead in Bloemfontein through an early Jaco van der Walt penalty and a rolling-maul try by hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg. The Lions hit back with a penalty via Sam Francis before outside centre Likhona Finca finished a superb move featuring a string of offloads to level the scores.

The Cheetahs regained control through another well-worked try after sustained pressure, and van der Walt added a penalty to extend the lead. But a costly error on the stroke of half-time gifting fullback Latica Nela a score, leaving the hosts 16-13 ahead at the break.

The visitors struck just three minutes into the second stanza with a superb team try put down by that man Finca to move 20-16 in front.

The Cheetahs responded, although Clayton Blommetjies squandered a try-scoring chance by knocking on over the line. They soon recovered, with Victor Sekekete crashing over after sustained pressure. Van der Walt's missed conversion left the hosts one point ahead.

Cohen Jasper then finished brilliantly in the corner after slick handling to extend the Cheetahs' lead, but the Lions replied immediately as Finca finished off his hat-trick. Francis converted to edge the visitors 27-26 ahead.

Van der Walt kept his composure to slot the decisive penalty with five minutes remaining, restoring the Cheetahs' lead at 29-27.

The Lions threw everything at the hosts in the closing stages, but Maxwane's final pass would go to ground, ending a thrilling contest.

Bulls' ill-discipline proves costly

Dis een land, die Boland. And they showed it in front of their home fans in Wellington. The hosts wasted an early chance by knocking on over the Bulls' try-line but soon took control through a Joshua Eras try from a driving maul, converted by James Tedder, who was later forced off injured.

The Bulls' ill-discipline proved costly as Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg was yellow-carded before former Bull Dayan van der Westhuizen crossed for Boland's second try in the 25th minute. Jayden Bantom converted to make it 14-0.

Keagan Johannes got the Bulls on the board with a late first-half penalty before Bantom restored Boland's 14-point lead after the break.

Replacement Shaun Schurmann scored from a rolling maul to cut the gap to seven, but Boland struck the decisive blow when a collapsed maul earned a penalty try - taking the Bulls out of bonus point range - and Bulls captain Nama Xaba was yellow-carded.

Chriswill September was also sin-binned after a late scuffle before Van der Westhuizen's crucial breakdown turnover secured Boland's victory.