Cheetahs claim Currie Cup title after catfight with Pumas

Free State Cheetahs' experienced former Springbok Ruan Pienaar gave a masterful display of how to control a game from flyhalf as he led them to a 25-17 victory over the Pumas in South Africa’s domestic Currie Cup final in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Pienaar, 39, was assured with the boot, both with ball in hand and off the kicking tee, as centre Reinhardt Fortuin, wing Cohen Jasper and scrumhalf Rewan Kruger crossed for tries with the hosts winning their seventh Currie Cup and first since 2019.

The defending champion Pumas stayed in the hunt to the end but managed just one try through centre Ali Mgijima as they battled to break down a resolute Cheetahs defence that was superbly marshalled by Pienaar.

The Pumas, based in Nelspruit, won their only previous Currie Cup title last year. It is the oldest national rugby competition in the world having first been played in 1889.