Devastating defeat for Currie Cup hopefuls in Bloemfontein

The Airlink Pumas lost out on a consecutive Currie Cup title against a clinical Toyota Cheetahs' side in the championship final on June 24.

June 25, 2023

Jana Schlechter 2 minutes read

The 2022 Currie Cup champions were dethroned by the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. > Photo: Johan Orton

Both the Airlink Pumas and the Toyota Cheetahs went into the final fixture of this year’s championship hungry for victory and with points to prove.

The Pumas set out to prove that a small union from Mpumalanga can be the first team to claim the Currie Cup title back-to-back after only winning it for the first time the previous year, and the Cheetahs would’ve wanted to redeem their loss against the side in pink in the 2022 semi-finals.

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And they managed just this. The Free Staters are the 2023 Currie Cup title holders after beating the Pumas 25-17. It was a sweet revenge for them after last year’s narrow loss that deprived them of coming into contention for the title.

But the trophy wasn’t given up without a fight. The Pumas demonstrated extreme resilience and intensity, handing the home side counterattacks at crucial times.

It was a tense first half as both sides manoeuvred for a territorial edge. Fly half Ruan Pienaar and Pumas rival Tinus de Beer traded penalties to draw the game 6-6 at the conclusion of the first quarter.

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The first try of the match was scored by Cheetahs’ centre Reinhardt Fortuin. A counter try was scored by his equal on the other end, Ali Mgijima.

The Pumas truly breathed down the Cheetahs’ neck with the scoreline levelled at 11 all close to the half-time break.

The moment the Cheetahs put one hand on the trophy, however, came two minutes before the end of the half with a try from Cohen Jasper. Pienaar slotted over the conversion, allowing the Free State outfit to head into the locker room with some breathing space. The tally stood at 18-11 in their favour.

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The second half was a low-scoring affair, with both sides opting for territory instead of expansive rugby.

De Beer chipped away at the Cheetahs’ lead with two early penalties after the restart. Although the men in pink put up a spirited effort, running their lines and proving their strength at the breakdowns, a try from Cheetahs scrumhalf Rewan Kruger and Pienaar’s accurate kicking boot seemed to be the last nails in the coffin for the 2022 champions.

No further points were added in the remainder of the game.

The Pumas tried valiantly to come back into the game, but De Beer faded a crucial penalty in the dying minutes.

The Cheetahs claimed their sixth Currie Cup title, dethroning the Pumas 25-17.