The Bulls were impressive but errors proved costly as they went down
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Matches: Bulls 29 - 42 Cheetahs

The Cheetahs won a Super Rugby match in Pretoria for the first time with a six-try 42-29 triumph on Saturday over a Bulls side suffering their fifth consecutive loss. The final-round match had an obvious end-of-campaign feel to it with neither South African team in contention for a top-six finish and a play-offs place.

Underdogs Cheetahs recovered from conceding an early try to score four, secure a bonus point and lead 28-10 by half-time at Loftus Versfeld stadium in the South African Highveld city. A try by Bulls skipper and No.8 Pierre Spies narrowed the gap to 11 points with 10 minutes to play before a small crowd in chilly early winter conditions.

But any hopes of a dramatic come-from-behind victory for the hosts were dashed just three minutes later. Replacement Oupa Mohoje, a Springbok loose forward who came off the bench for his first appearance after a long injury absence, burst down the middle.

The momentum was continued by several other Cheetahs in a side prepared to run from any position and centre Rayno Benjamin scored in the corner. Fly-half Niel Marais added the extra points for a perfect six-from-six conversions record in only his second start for the Bloemfontein outfit.

Cheetahs other try-scorers were No.8 Niell Jordaan, flanker Henco Venter, winger Clayton Blommetjies, scrum-half Sarel Pretorius and replacement lock Steven Sykes. Pretorius, who is moving to Welsh side Newport Dragons, gave another outstanding performance full of sniping runs and clever passes.

Japan-bound winger Francois Hougaard scored two tries for the Bulls and fullback Jesse Kriel and Spies one each. Fly-half Jacques-Louis Potgieter slotted one conversion and one penalty and his replacement, Tian Schoeman, kicked two conversions for the three-time champions.

Bulls finished a disappointing ninth after seven victories and nine defeats while Cheetahs ended 12th with five wins and 11 losses.