Cheetahs battle hard to overcome Section Paloise in France

The Cheetahs returned to the Challenge Cup with an impressive 21-16 come-from-behind win over Section Paloise in the French side's own backyard.

While the men from Bloemfontein trailed by six points at the break, they convincingly won the second half 18-7 to come away with a valuable away win in Europe.

The first half of the contest was a fairly sedate affair, with both teams struggling to pry open their opponent's defence.

It was left to the boots of Pau's Clement Mondinat and the Cheetahs' Ruan Pienaar to try and force any kind of advantage, though by the end of the opening 40 minutes, Mondinat had slotted three penalties to Pienaar's one to give the home side a 9-3 cushion at the break.

The visitors had also left some points out there, after opting to go for a try rather than take the penalty kick on offer.

But the Cheetahs would take the lead for the first time in the match early in the second half when replacement flanker Daniel Maartens managed to find a way over the line from close range, with Pienaar adding the extras.

Pau hit back not long after, however, retaking the lead after kicking for the corner and driving over the line through prop Remi Seneca.

But the Cheetahs found another response, albeit somewhat fortuitously, when the hosts failed to deal with an up-and-under from flyhalf Siya Masuku, allowing Oupa Mohojo to go over after the men from Bloemfontein regathered the ball.

That cut the home side's lead to just one point, though that too soon evaporated when Pienaar slotted over another three-pointer.

That set the stage for a tense final few minutes, though it was the Cheetahs who held their nerve to earn another penalty in kickable range, which Pienaar duly converted to hand the visitors a morale-boosting 21-16 win.

Scorers

Pau: 16 (9)

Try: Remi Seneca

Conversion: Thibault Daubagna

Penalties: Clement Mondinat (3)

Cheetahs: 21 (3)

Tries: Daniel Maartens, Oupa Mohoje

Conversions: Ruan Pienaar

Penalties: Ruan Pienaar (2), Siya Masuku