Hurricanes vs Cheetahs

[Armchaircritic]

Yup. An honest, hard working bunch the Cheetahs, but even at home not likely to instill too much fear into opposition S14 teams... at least those that aren't named the Sharks.

To paraphrase Red Beard in the Chiefs v Reds match up... the Canes should piss it in. (This time, REALLY).

Shit, you put the mockers on the Canes. I've never seen the Canes "piss in" in any game in recent history, just piss opportunities away.
But I really hope your right.

[rustycruiser]

Bryce Lawrence the man in the middle as we kick off the last match of the weekend in Bloemfontein.

[rustycruiser]

So far both the Canes and Cheetahs have taken shots at goal from about the half way line. Weepu missed his, Bosman converted.

3- 0 Cheetahs after 8 minutes

[rustycruiser]

Easy try for David Smith and the Canes. Daniller kicked a taken back ball out on the full. Canes take their lineout ball, go wide trough the hands, and go over. Weepu misses the conversion

5 - 3 Canes after 11 min

[rustycruiser]

Wierd bit of play results in 3 points for the Cheetahs. They bottled at least two attacking opportunities through poor option tacking, and non existent rucking. Hardly committing anyone to the breakdown. Eventually earned the penalty from Nonu being offsides in a ruck.

[WS32119]

Cheetahs look clueless. No structure and going through the motions

[rustycruiser]

I am mostly watching this game because of Robert Ebersohn. So far, he has been pretty invisible. But not a great game so far.

Bosman converts another long penalty kick.

12 - 5 to the Cheetahs after 31 minutes.

[rustycruiser]

Canes down to 14 for the rest of the half after Ma'a Nonu gets walking papers for a dangerous tackle.

[Armchaircritic]

Typical Nonu yellow card infringiment. Why the F*** hasn't Cooper installed the discipline into his defence.
Man for man the Canes should be killing them.

[rustycruiser]

Cheetahs try up to the TMO, but it looks good. Kabamba Floors recoverd a Nokwe chip ahead and went over in the corner. Lucky, as the Cheetahs had a penalty and Pretorius had taken a quick tap and turned it over. After the clearance, Danniller set it up with the run back, before Nokwe kicked and Floors finished.

19 - 5 Cheetahs after 50 minutes

[rustycruiser]

3 more points for the Free Staters courtesy of Meyer Bosman's on target boot. Hurricanes better pull finger soon.

.

[rustycruiser]

When it rains, it pours. Canes lineout ball. Hore loses it with a skew throw in. Followed shortly by a scrum. Canes pinged for going straight down. Olivier converts the penalty.

25 - 5 to the Cheetahs after 59 minutes. tick tock tick tock.

[LAKiwi]

Cheetahs look clueless. No structure and going through the motions

Wrong team there. Right description!

[rustycruiser]

Jane goes over the line for a try for the Canes (while they have only 14 men on the park). Ripia slots the conversion.

25 - 12 with 9 minutes left. Cane the Canes steal the match?

[LAKiwi]

Too little too late. Surely they can't get back from here.
They don't deserve to - on how they've been playing.
Discipline will be key for them.

[rustycruiser]

Canes with a 5m attacking lineout after a Floors error.

[rustycruiser]

And lost forward and cleared by Free State.

[rustycruiser]

Nail in the coffin. Bryn Evans penalized in a kickable position. Olivier slots the shot at goal.

28 - 12 after 77 minutes

[rustycruiser]

Game, set, match. Guessing MOM will be one of the two Cheetahs kickers. Daniller had a good hit out for the Cheetahs, and Lionel Mapoe continues his good form from the Currie Cup last year. Very busy, and always looking for work.

[WS32119]

Wrong team there. Right description!

Yep - happy to be wrong!

[Armchaircritic]

After 6 years watching the Canes under Cooper does anybody get it yet?

[Razbra]

Bloody glad I sleep through my alarm and missed this game!

[ACT Crusader]

Does Graham Henry share blame for Nonu's poor defensive discipline? Maybe Mitchell and Deans? What about all the past Lions coaches? Armchair get a grip mate, Cooper can't be blamed for everything, especially when you're senior back makes a poor tackling decision.

Just poor play by Nonu and I think he's a big boy that should take full responsibility.

Nothing really worked for the Canes tonight and some of the pre-game comments in this thread look really silly now. Well done Cheetahs, IMO they scrapped and did what they had to to get the win despite themselves looking very unorganised.

[Nepia]

Man that was painful! The Canes just looked inept - aside from Cory Jane. Smith returned to usual abilities. I have to admit that I think Ripia would have been better starting to kick into field position, then let Cruden have a run at tiring defences. Cruden seemed wasted as the Canes mostly kept the ball tight when he was on the field.

I think that the Canes need to install Conrad Smith as captain - it's clear he's the backline leader and Hore seems to offer nothing as a captain. Inspirationally or tactically he doesn't seem to have it (only as a a captain though, he's still a bloody good player).

Good effort Cheetahs.

Damn you RB and your kiss of death.

[Mainlander]

Cruden to score at least one try if not two. You heard it here first.

Well that was the kiss of death.