Cheetahs claim famous win
The Cheetahs claimed their first Super Rugby victory outside South Africa in over five years with a 23-3 win over the Waratahs.
Last Updated: 19/03/11 12:23pm
The Cheetahs claimed their first Super Rugby victory outside South Africa in over five years with a 23-3 win over the Waratahs on Saturday.
Winless and bottom of the standings prior to the match, the Bloemfontein-based outfit stunned their hosts with second-half tries from Phillip Snyman and Sarel Pretorius to seal a sensational upset in New South Wales.
The Waratahs, already missing skipper Phil Waugh and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, lost prop Benn Robinson and returning number eight Wycliff Palu in a lacklustre first half.
And the hosts were booed off at half-time after two penalties from visiting centre Sias Ebersohn and one in reply from Wallaby fullback Kurtley Beale saw the hosts go into the break trailing 6-3.
Ebersohn booted another three-pointer five minutes into the second half to extend the Cheetahs advantage.
But when fly-half Berrick Barnes tried to find winger Drew Mitchell with a crossfield kick on 58 minutes, Cheetahs full-back Frans Viljoen grabbed the intercept that led to their first try.
Viljoen flicked the ball to scrum-half Pretorius and he set off down the touchline before feeding Snyman, who outpaced the cover defence to score. Ebersohn added the extras.
The Waratahs tried to rally, but mistakes continued to hamper their game and when scrum-half Pretorius reached through a pile of bodies to touch down the victory was secure.
