Griquas missed a conversion on the final hooter to lose their unbeaten record in the SA Cup.
The Cheetahs qualified for the Currie Cup Premier Division after Griquas missed a match-winning 84th-minute conversion.
Coach Frans Steyn’s men won 32-31 in Bloemfontein on Friday night to finish with 35 log points from their nine SA Cup matches – eight more than the fourth-placed Boland Cavaliers and fifth-placed SWD Eagles, who are expected to beat Eastern Province and the Leopards, respectively, on Saturday.
According to SA Rugby tournament rules, in the event of a log points tie, the first tiebreaker is the number of games a team won before points difference comes into play.
Two bonus points – for scoring four tries and losing by seven points or less – would likely not have been enough for the Cheetahs, who ultimately ended a six-match losing streak against Griquas.
The Cheetahs led 25-12 at half-time after tries to hooker Chucky van der Westhuizen, winger Cohen Jasper and scrumhalf Rewan Kruger.
Winger Munier Hartzenberg scored the hosts’ bonus-point try in the 51st minute to make it 32-19 before Griquas fought back.
This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
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