Sunwolves suffer 92-17 Super Rugby mauling by Cheetahs
By AFP
Last Updated: 18/04/16 2:40pm
Former Springboks coach Nick Mallett labelled the Sunwolves "embarrassing" after they suffered a 92-17 mauling against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The Cheetahs scored 14 tries at Free State Stadium to achieve the biggest triumph in Super Rugby this season, easily surpassing the Chiefs' 53-10 victory over the Western Force.
The biggest winning margin was achieved by the Bulls when they crushed Queensland Reds 92-3 in Pretoria nine seasons ago.
Sergeal Petersen and Paul Schoeman scored hat-tricks for a side that averaged 2.5 tries per game in six previous Super Rugby matches this season and won just once.
Mallett, who took South Africa to third place at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in England, said the match was not good for Super Rugby or the Tokyo-based newcomers.
"It was embarrassing," he said. "Imagine what the scoreline could have been if the Sunwolves were playing one of the top New Zealand teams.
"The Sunwolves lost heart and belief and gave up long before the final whistle. This match was not a proper reflection of Super Rugby.
"They had no defensive structures and when they did get the ball, repeatedly committed handling errors."
The match completed a three-match tour of South Africa for the Japanese franchise, who lost 33-28 to the Kings and 46-19 to the Stormers.
Cheetahs skipper and centre Francois Venter said: "This was a special effort and I am proud of the boys. Our scrummaging was great and it gave us lots of quick ball."
Stunned Sunwolves skipper and hooker Shota Horie said the defeat was particularly depressing as they wanted to lift the spirits of their countrymen after a series of earthquakes hit Japan.
A powerful 'quake hit the south of the country early Saturday, a day after a strong tremor in the same area killed nine people, injured hundreds and toppled buildings.
The Cheetahs scored seven tries in each half and led 45-3 at half-time after falling behind in the fourth minute when Samoa fly-half Tusi Pisi slotted a penalty.
Sunwolves applied pressure for a brief period in the second half when trailing 59-3, New Zealander Derek Carpenter and Tongan Mifiposeti Paea scoring tries that Pisi converted.
Petersen and Schoeman scored three tries each for the Cheetahs, Shaun Venter touched down twice, with Torsten van Jaarsveld, Francois Venter, Uzair Cassiem, Raymond Rhule, Hilton Lobberts, Clayton Blommetjies and Jacques du Toit scoring one each.