Pienaar kicks Cheetahs to victory in Challenge Cup

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Springbok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar kicked 11 points as the Cheetahs announced their European debut with a comeback victory against Top 14 outfit Section Paloise on Saturday.

The Cheetahs kicked off their inaugural Challenge Cup campaign with a 21-16 win at the Stade du Hameau.

A scrappy start saw both teams conceded unnecessary penalties which Pau converted into a 6-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. The visitors struggled to get going initially, with the rustiness of having played very little rugby clear to see.

Running from deep was not an option for either team and winning territory through the boot was the order of the day as both strived to secure a platform inside enemy territory.

Clermont fullback Clement Mondinant extended his tally with the boot just before the half-hour mark, again the Cheetahs discipline letting them down.

A lacklustre Cheetahs attack littered with mistakes saw the visitors enter the break trailing 9-3, but they shook it off after the restart and duly crossed the whitewash twice in the third quarter, Dan Maartens and Oupa Mohoje dotting down on either side of a try from Pau prop Remi Seneca.

Pienaar put the Cheetah’s into the lead with a penalty in the fourth quarter and flyhalf Siya Masuku secured the win with one of his own to bank a historic, hard-earned victory in the dying minutes.

The Cheetahs will now turn their attention to Welsh outfit Scarlets next week.

Photo: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images/BackpagePix

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Grant Craze