The Free State Cheetahs recorded their second successive victory in this year's Currie Cup competition after they ran in 11 tries during their 71-17 win against the Leopards at Olen Park in Potchefstroom on Friday.

So dominant was the Cheetahs display that they wrapped up the bonus point for four tries as early as the 26th minute of the match to consign the hapless Leopards to their sixth consecutive defeat of the season.

The Cheetahs, who had endured a miserable start to their Currie Cup campaign losing their first four matches, built on their impressive 24-15 win over the Blue Bulls in their previous game, by outplaying the Leopards in all facets of the game.

The visitor’s forwards were particularly impressive on the drive while their backline produced a slick display with pivot Jacques-Louis Potgieter putting in a commanding performance from the flyhalf position.

The result leaves the Leopards rooted to the foot of the Currie Cup table while the Cheetahs, despite their fine performance, remain in sixth position, four points behind the Bulls.

On a clear, cool night in Potchefstroom, the visitors were first to score when left wing Jongi Nokwe ran in a try in the sixth minute before they extended their lead nine minutes later when scrumhalf JP Joubert sniped his way over the line.

Potgieter missed his first two conversion attempts but his teammates ensured that his misses would not come back to haunt him as lock Nico Breedt barged his way over the tryline in the 20th minute to give the Bloemfontein-based side a 15-0 lead in the 20th minute.

Potgieter finally succeeded with a conversion attempt before outside centre JW Jonker secured the bonus point try in the 26th minute.

The Cheetahs’ early assault had left the home side looking particularly rattled and, as if to prove the point, the visitors ran in two more tries in the last 10 minutes of the first half, through flank Johan Wessels and right wing Danwel Demas.

Leopards’ flyhalf Clayton Durand finally got his side on the board, courtesy of a successful penalty kick in the 33rd minute, but his effort was not enough to prevent the Cheetahs going to half-time holding a commanding 38-3 lead.

Matters did not improve for the Leopards in the second half as Jonker went over for his second try of the match, less than 60 seconds after the restart.

Despite the growing deficit that they faced the Leopards battled gamely and their efforts were rewarded in the 43rd minute when fullback Russell Jeacocks scored his first try of the night. Unfortunately for the home side by the time Jeacocks scored his second try, in the 70th minute, the Cheetahs had run in further tries through Breedt and inside centre Robert Ebersohn.

To confirm their superiority the Cheetahs added two tries to their tally in the last four minutes of the match with both wings, Demas and Nokwe, picking up their second tries.

The Scorers:

For Cheetahs
Tries: Nokwe 2, Breedt 2, Jonker 2, Demas 2, JP Joubert, Johan Wessels, Robert Ebersohn.
Cons: Potgieter 6
Pens: Louis Strydom 2

For Leopards:
Tries: Jeacocks 2
Cons: Durand 2
Pen: Durand

Danwell Demas