Fly-half Johan Goosen was the 22-point star as lowly Central Cheetahs upset Super 15 title hopefuls ACT Brumbies 27-21 in Bloemfontein Saturday.
Victory lifted the South Africans three places to 12th on the combined standings while the Australians’ losing bonus point nudged them above the New Zealand Waikato Chiefs into second.
Springbok Goosen, who missed the last Test season due to injury, scored a try and kicked a conversion, four penalties and a drop goal for a 121-point season tally.
His 55-metre drop goal two minutes from time just got over the crossbar and the television match official approved it amid Brumbies’ claims that the kick fell short.
Cheetahs played the last eight minutes a man short as flanker Heinrich Brussow was yellow-carded for kicking the ball away after the whistle had blown.
Brumbies did well to lead 11-9 at half-time given they trailed by nine points and centre Christian Lealiifano and scrum-half Nic White missed two kicks each at goal.
Goosen kicked the first of his three first-half penalties after three minutes and Brumbies right-wing Henry Speight had at try disallowed soon after for obstruction.
Goosen added another penalty, Lealiifano failed with his first attempt, and the Cheetahs playmaker was just left with an ambitious drop-goal attempt.
Brumbies’ forwards did not heed a warning from the referee to stop infringing and lock Scott Fardy was yellow-carded on 14 minutes for going off his feet at a ruck.
The resulting penalty was potted by Goosen for a 9-0 advantage to the home side before Lealiifano was left of the posts again from an easier penalty kick.
White took over the goal-kicking and succeeded with his first shot although the kick was the toughest of the three early penalties awarded to the visitors.
The scrum-half fluffed his second attempt at goal before setting up a try for left-wing Robbie Coleman eight minutes from half-time.
A perfectly weighted grubber kick found Coleman and a favourable bounce allowed the flier to dive over in the corner for an unconverted try.
Brumbies nudged ahead three minutes into first-half stoppage time when White goaled an angled penalty.
The opening 20 minutes of the second half belonged to the South Africans, who scored 15 unanswered points for a 24-11 lead.
A break by scrum-half Shaun Venter followed by a long pass to Willie le Roux sent the left-wing over far out.
Goosen failed to convert, but atoned three minutes later when he scored an opportunist try and converted it from the touchline.
Fly-half Elgar Watts, who came on at half-time with Goosen moving to full-back in place of Hennie Daniller, sent a high cross-field kick into the right corner.
Much shorter Coleman was outjumped by Goosen, who dotted down to the delight of the crowd at a chilly Free State Stadium.
A White penalty narrowed the gap to 10 points and the Cheetahs counted the cost of losing Brussow almost immediately.
Hooker Stephen Moore diving over after a driving maul and White converted to leave only three points separating the sides until the Goosen drop goal.