Cardiff Blues 24 - 21 Cheetahs
HT 10-7
Fri 28 September 19:35 Cardiff Arms Park Att: 6,187 Ref: George Clancy Guinness PRO14

Cardiff Blues 24 Toyota Cheetahs 21

Fri 28 Sep 2018 21:26 Cardiff Blues 24 Toyota Cheetahs 21
Following three agonising defeats in the opening weeks of the season, John Mulvihill’s men responded with an emphatic bonus-point win over Munster.
 
And they backed it up with a hard-fought triumph over the Cheetahs at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday night.
 
Despite leading 10-7 at half-time, Toyota Cheetahs pounced with quick-fire tries from Sibhale Maxwane and Benhard Janse van Rensburg.
 
It set up a nervous finale in the Welsh capital, especially after the opening weeks of the season but Mulvihill’s men displayed admirable character to battle back.
 
Replacement Lloyd Williams found his way past the stern Cheetahs defence to bring his side back into the contest, before Olly Robinson pounced from the back of a rampaging drive to give his side the lead.
 
Both fly-halves fired wide in an erroneous start to the encounter at Cardiff Arms Park but the Blues grew into the game and quickly began to threaten.
 
Halaholo, Olly Robinson and Dacey combined on the right. They were unable to break clear and when the ball came right at the next phase, Rhys Gill burst through.
 
Had it been a back it would have been a certain try but Gill was isolated and the opportunity was lost.
 
Following a harsh penalty against Josh Turnbull for accidental offside, the Cheetahs kicked to the corner. They won the ball in the middle but it was stripped and despite going forward George Clancy did not call a knock on and Walt Steenkamp pounced.
 
Schoeman added the extras but the Blues responded within a matter of minutes. A clever grubber through the South African defence created the opportunity and when Ryno Eksteen failed to hang onto possession, Lee-Lo was on hand to scoop it up and crash over.
 
Anscombe converted to level the scores and Wales’ Capital Region remained in the ascent.
 
They should have claimed a second try when the fly-half sold the perfect dummy but he did not see support on the inside and was tackled short with his offload knocked forward by the Cheetahs.
 
A further opportunity went amiss when Ox Nche stripped the ball as Turnbull powered towards the whitewash but Anscombe nudged the Blues in front just before half-time.
 
The Cheetahs regained the lead nine minutes into the second-half as Sibhale Maxwane won the foot race to an intelligent kick behind the Blues defence.
 
Television replays showed the electric wing clearly grounded the ball but when Clancy’s attention was brought to an earlier offload of the floor the ball clearly went forward.
 
However, to the bemusement of the crowd Clancy awarded the score and Schoeman converted to make it 10-14.
 
Ten minutes later a short, flat-pass from Nico Lee put Benhard Janse van Rensburg through a hole in midfield for a well-worked try.
 
Schoeman converted once again to give his side an 11-point lead as the hour-mark approached.
 
With a substantial deficit to make up, the Blues were against it but following a sustained period of pressure they snatched a try back with Lloyd Williams selling a dummy at the base to snipe over.
 
Anscombe bisected the posts to give his side renewed hope and a superb turnover penalty from Turnbull maintained momentum as they went to the corner.
The make-shift number eight took the ball at the lineout and the pack rumbled towards the whitewash. Following one final surge of power, Robinson burrowed over.
 
Anscombe converted expertly from the touchline to give the Blues a 24-21 lead with less than 10 minutes remaining.

There was a final opportunity for the hosts to hunt for a bonus point, but a forward drive was held up on the line, brining proceedings to an end.