4 October 2026
The Black Lion capitalised on a flurry of second-half yellow cards to down the Toyota Cheetahs 35–25 on Sunday evening. The Free State franchise paid a heavy price for discipline lapses, allowing the Georgian side to seize momentum and secure the win during a chaotic final half-hour.
The Black Lion got off to a flyer in the 8th minute when Dato Abdushelishvili crashed over for an early five-pointer. Temur Dzodzuashvili missed the conversion, leaving the score at 5–0.
The Cheetahs soon clicked into gear, striking back in the 23rd minute through a well-worked Siya Ningiza try. Tiaan Swanepoel added the extras and subsequently slotted a 38th-minute penalty to hand the South Africans a 10–5 cushion at the interval.
The hosts struck first after the restart when Shota Kheladze dotted down, with Dzodzuashvili's boot tracking true to put the Black Lion 12–10 ahead. The Cheetahs responded instantly through Erich Visser, whose unconverted try reclaimed a narrow 15–12 lead.
Disaster struck for the visitors when lock Carl Wegner was sent to the sin bin in the 56th minute. The Black Lion immediately exploited the numerical advantage, with Giorgi Spanderashvili scoring a converted try to shift the scoreline to 19–15.
The wheels completely came off for the Cheetahs as Tebogo Nkosi and Ethan Wentzel both copped yellow cards in quick succession. Facing a depleted defensive line, Irakli Kvatadze spearheaded the Georgian onslaught, crossing for a rapid-fire brace to stretch the lead to 31–15.
The Free Staters showed immense fight despite their disciplinary woes, hitting back through a Sisonke Vumazonke score to close the gap to 31–22. A late Swanepoel penalty kept them within striking distance at 31–25, but a final, unconverted try from the Black Lion in the dying minutes sealed the 35–25 victory.
Scorers:
Black Lion: Tries: Luka Tsirekidze, Dato Abdushelishvili, Irakli Kvatadze, Giorgi Spanderashvili, Shota Kheladze. Conversions: Luka Tsirekidze (2), Temur Dzodzuashvili.
Toyota Cheetahs: Tries: Sisonke Vumazonke, Erich Visser, Siya Ningiza. Conversions: Tiaan Swanepoel (2). Penalties: Tiaan Swanepoel (2).
Teams:
Black Lion: 1 Dato Abdushelishvili, 2 Shota Kheladze, 3 Nikoloz Khatiashvili, 4 Mikheili Babunashvili, 5 Michael Curry, 6 Luka Narsia, 7 Sandro Mamamtavrishvili, 8 Potu Leavasa, 9 Giorgi Spanderashvili, 10 Temur Dzodzuashvili, 11 Romani Makhatadze, 12 Data Akhvlediani, 13 Luka Tabatadze, 14 Luka Takaishvili, 15 Otari Metreveli. Replacements: 16 Irakli Kvatadze, 17 Giga Kobakhidze, 18 Nikoloz Narmania, 19 Vladimeri Chachanidze, 20 Davit Arveladze, 21 Otar Giorgadze, 22 Luka Tsirekidze, 23 Davit Imnadze.
Toyota Cheetahs: 1 Matome Manyama, 2 Louis Van Der Westhuizen, 3 Ben Pitout, 4 Carl Wegner, 5 Aidon Davis, 6 Siya Ningiza, 7 Arno Van Der Merwe, 8 Sisonke Vumazonke, 9 Erich Visser, 10 Tiaan Swanepoel, 11 Ntokozo Makhaza, 12 Shaun Ray, 13 Marco Janse Van Vuren, 14 Litha Nkula, 15 Ethan Wentzel. Replacements: 16 Jaundre Schoeman, 17 Tebogo Nkosi, 18 JK Okonkwo, 19 Juan Venter, 20 Mihlali Mosi, 21 Jandre Nel, 22 Duncan Basson, 23 Daniel Maartens.