Cheetahs pull clear after interval as Nkabinde hat-trick sinks Sharks in Currie Cup clash

The Cheetahs produced a ruthless second-half display to beat the Sharks 43-21 in their Currie Cup meeting in Bloemfontein on Friday, with wing Prince Nkabinde scoring a hat-trick and Faf de Klerk crossing twice for the home side.

The contest was finely poised at the break, the teams going into half-time level at 14-14 after both arrived at Toyota Stadium on the back of opening-round victories. But the hosts took control after the restart, running in five tries in total through the second period to pull decisively clear.

Nkabinde was the standout finisher, touching down three times for the Cheetahs as their attack found increasing space against a tiring Sharks defence. Scrum-half De Klerk, the Springbok World Cup winner, added two tries of his own, underlining his continued influence at provincial level.

Centre Juan Venter also crossed twice for the Free State side, who turned pressure into points with clinical efficiency as the match wore on. Fly-half Jaco van der Walt landed four conversions to complete the Cheetahs’ scoring tally of 43 points.

Sharks stay in touch early on

The Sharks, fielded as a Sharks XV selection, had matched the Cheetahs for much of the first half, capitalising on their chances to reach the interval on equal terms.

Janco Purchase, Simphiwe Ngobese and Marnus Potgieter all went over for the visitors, ensuring they remained within striking distance as the game approached the final quarter. Fly-half Tim Swiel was flawless from the tee, slotting all three conversions to keep the scoreboard pressure on the home side.

However, the Durban-based outfit were unable to maintain that intensity after half-time. As errors crept into their game, the Cheetahs seized control of territory and possession, repeatedly forcing the Sharks onto the back foot.

Cheetahs make statement in early-season form

Both teams had started their Currie Cup campaigns with victories last weekend, and the first 40 minutes reflected that confidence, with the match played at a high tempo and neither side able to establish a clear advantage.

After the interval, though, the Cheetahs’ dominance in the collisions and their sharper execution in the wide channels proved decisive, with Nkabinde in particular exploiting defensive gaps to maximum effect.

The final scoreline of 43-21, after the 14-14 deadlock at half-time, underlined the hosts’ superiority in the second half and reinforced their early credentials as one of the form teams in this season’s competition.

Scoring summary

Cheetahs 43 (14) Tries: Prince Nkabinde (3), Faf de Klerk (2), Juan Venter (2) Conversions: Jaco van der Walt (4)

Sharks XV 21 (14) Tries: Janco Purchase, Simphiwe Ngobese, Marnus Potgieter Conversions: Tim Swiel (3)