Cheetahs comeback falls just short against Clermont in Challenge Cup

A late fightback from the Toyota Cheetahs fell just short as they were dumped out of the Challenge Cup by French side ASM Clermont 27-22 in their last 16 clash at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday afternoon.

It was a fantastic comeback from the Cheetahs after they trailed 27-3 after 53 minutes, led by an explosive performance off the bench from replacement loose forward Sibabalo Qoma, but was in the end not enough as the hosts held on desperately for a tight win.

It was also possibly the final game for retiring former Springbok star Ruan Pienaar, which will be extremely disappointing for him after he enjoyed a good game but made a crucial late error that cost his side a chance of winning the match.

At the start of play the hosts got off to a flying start as they counter attacked from a lost Cheetahs lineout just in their own half, with the ball going through the hands with some great offloads before left wing Joris Jurand went over to score, converted by flyhalf Anthony Belleau for a 7-0 lead after two minutes.

The game then became a bit of a kicking battle as scrumhalf Pienaar got the Cheetahs on the board with an 11th minute penalty, Belleau responded in the 22nd minute to make it 10-3 and then missed his second attempt in the 30th minute.

The final five minutes of the half proved disastrous for the visitors as right wing Bautista Delguy dotted down after a brilliant cross kick from Belleau, before hooker Etienne Fourcade went over from a powerful maul after the hooter to put them into a strong 22-3 lead at the break.

The Cheetahs needed to score first in the second half, but instead it was the hosts after a superb break down the middle of the park ended with replacement scrumhalf Baptiste Jauneau going over for an unconverted score in the 53rd minute.

The Cheetahs comeback began in the 62nd minute as Qoma, having just come on the field, finished off a fantastic bit of interplay between their forwards, but still had work to do as he powered his way over with three players on his back for the converted score to make it 27-10.

A yellow card to Fourcade in the 67th minute for a poor cleanout at a ruck gave the visitors an extra man for 10 minutes, which they used perfectly to run in two tries.

First fullback Tapiwa Mafura dotted down a fantastic cross kick from Pienaar, before Qoma crashed over for his second score, with Pienaar adding one conversion to bring them right back into the match at 27-22 after 72 minutes.

A massive moment then occurred in the 77th minute, with the Cheetahs awarded a penalty on Clermont’s 10m line, Pienaar tried to set up a lineout deep in their 22m only to kick it too long, giving the hosts a scrum from where the penalty was taken.

This proved to be the Cheetahs last chance as they played most of the rest of the game in their own half to unfortunately fall just short of a famous comeback.

Scorers

ASM Clermont: Tries - Joris Jurand, Bautista Delguy, Etienne Fourcade, Baptiste Jauneau; Conversions - Anthony Belleau (2); Penalty - Belleau

Toyota Cheetahs: Tries - Sibabalo Qoma (2), Tapiwa Mafura; Conversions - Ruan Pienaar (2); Penalty - Pienaar