New record for Cheetahs
The Cheetahs set a new try-scoring record in their 41-21 Super 15 win over the Rebels on Saturday.
Last Updated: 22/05/11 1:36am
The Cheetahs set a new try-scoring record as they cruised to a 41-21 Super 15 victory over the Rebels on Saturday to move level on points with the third-placed Stormers.
The Cheetahs got the five tries they required to set a new single-season record for the club as they took their overall tally to 35.
Three of them came in the first half as the Bloemfontein side took a firm grip on the game - one they never let slip, despite the red card handed to Ryno Benjamin for a late headbutt.
A knock-on had ended what looked like a try-scoring move for the Cheetahs in the eighth minute; however, they crossed the line for the first time just three minutes later.
The try came after a quick pass from a scrum allowing Corne Uys to race over.
They added another eight minutes later when Luke Rooney's kick was charged down and Benjamin broke clear to score behind the posts, giving Sias Ebersohn an easy conversion.
Trick
The Rebels then showed a new trick - looking to be forming a maul following a line-out, but instead Ged Robinson raced free to score easily.
Having made the breakthrough, the Rebels briefly looked like threatening, but the Cheetahs gave themselves breathing room before half-time as Adriaan Strauss powered through for the third try.
The Rebels made a bright start to the second half, but failed to make it pay and instead fell further behind when Ebersohn kicked a penalty in the 46th minute.
The visitors had a chance to respond with a penalty of their own moments later, but Richard Kingi missed.
That allowed Ebersohn to make it 27-7 when he scored his second penalty in the 50th minute.
The Rebels were not ready to give up, though, and Mark Gerrard's 57th-minute try brought them back into the game.
But their renewed hope would not last long. Although Ebersohn missed a penalty on the hour mark, the Cheetahs got their bonus point moments later when swift hands freed Uys to score in the corner.
Strauss bagged his second try in the 67th minute as the Rebels' challenge ran out of steam, with the visitors electing to virtually empty their bench.
With six minutes to go, Benjamin was red-carded for a headbutt, with Stirling Mortlock also sin-binned for his reaction.
The Rebels were then awarded a penalty try in the 79th minute as Riaan Viljoen was yellow-carded, and Kingi added the conversion to close the final gap to 20 points.
