Posted on Tuesday, 16 Jan 2024
Photo credit: GettyImages
The Toyota Cheetahs will be under pressure to register a victory against Oyannax in France to make it through to the playoff stages with the other team in the running for a spot in the round of 16, the Dragons from Wales, playing in the last match of the weekend on Sunday.
Ill-discipline and the inability to convert possible try-scoring opportunities into points came at a big cost for the Toyota Cheetahs as they went down 33-20 against Section Paloise in their EPCR Challenge match in Amsterdam on Sunday.
The French outfit took a 14-0 lead by the 14th minute after scoring two converted tries, which put the Free Staters on the backfoot early on. They managed to reduce their deficit minutes before halftime as Munier Hartzenberg and Jeandre Rudolph crossed the chalk – the latter of which was when the opposition was reduced to 14 men - but a penalty goal by Axel Desperes in between pushed Pau 17-12 ahead at halftime.
Thibalt Debaes had the first say in the second half with a penalty goal before they received another yellow card, and the Toyota Cheetahs took full advantage of this with Louis van der Westhuizen scoring their third try shortly before the fourth quarter, which forced them back into the game at 20-17 down.
Their ill-discipline, however, cost them as the French club added two penalty goals with the Toyota Cheetahs also losing Rynier Bernardo to the sin bin in between, but a vital penalty goal by Ruan Pienaar in the 71st minute kept them within six points of the visitors on the scoreboard.
Their hopes of a victory or potential losing bonus point, however, were dashed soon after as Section Paloise scored their third try with six minutes left on the clock and the successful conversion saw them take a 33-20 lead, which they managed to hold onto until the final whistle to hand the Bloemfontein team their first defeat in the competition.
Scorers:
Toyota Cheetahs 20 (12) – Tries: Munier Hartzenberg, Jeandre Rudolph, Louis van der Westhuizen. Conversion: Ruan Pienaar. Penalty goal: Pienaar.
Section Paloise 33 (17) – Tries: Jack Maddocks, Emilien Gailleton, Dan Robson. Conversions: Axel Desperes (2), Thibalt Debaes. Penalty goals: Desperes (4).
