The Cheetahs rallied late in the game to claim a 21-20 victory over the Southern Kings as both teams ended their Super Rugby stay in a party atmosphere at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday.
A sizeable crowd turned out in Port Elizabeth to send off the pair, who have been cut from Super Rugby in 2018 and are now expected to be unveiled as part of the Pro 12 competition in Europe.
The Kings were the better side for almost 70 minutes in an entertaining, but scrappy game, as both teams attempted to play running rugby, but were let down by basic errors.
Wings Makazole Mapimpi and Wandie Mjekevu bagged tries for the home side, along with giant lock Lubabalo Mtyanda. The Cheetahs had to wait until almost 10 minutes from the end for their first try as centre Clinton Swart scored, before they added another shortly afterwards through wing Raymond Rhule, and flyhalf Niel Marais then added a winning penalty. The Kings made the brighter start but had to wait until a quarter of the game was gone for their first points.
There was a long look from Television Match Official (TMO) Shaun Veldsman as to whether Mapimpi had a foot in touch as he slid in for the try, but in the end the correct call was made.
There was a carbon-copy incident at the other end of the pitch shortly afterwards, but this time Cheetahs wing William Small-Smith had put his foot into touch before he could dot the ball down.
Kings centre Luzuko Vulindlu was fortunate not to receive sanction when he knocked the ball on, and then executed a studs-up lunge on Small-Smith that, had he been on the football pitch, would surely have been a straight red card.
The Kings twice turned down kickable penalties five minutes before halftime to go for the attacking line-out, and got their reward second time round when scrumhalf Louis Schreuder fed a rampaging Mjekevu five metres out and his momentum saw him burst through the Cheetahs defensive line to score.
Flyhalf Lionel Cronje missed what was a simple conversion chance that would come back to haunt the side and the home team led 12-3 at halftime.
They extended that lead early in the second period with a run from their own 22 that was all about quick ball and 'Hail Mary' passes before big lock Mtyanda lumbered over unopposed having taken Berton Klaasen's pass.
Both sides added penalties and when the home team led 20-6 with 12 minutes remaining, they looked in complete control. But after Swart crossed in the corner, with the TMO again needed to adjudicate whether he had a foot in touch, the Cheetahs were given a lifeline.
And when Rhule crossed over two minutes later after fine work from centre Francois Venter, suddenly it was a two-point game. Suddenly the momentum was all with the visitors and they took the lead as Kings fullback Malcolm Jaer was adjudged to have strayed offside, and replacement flyhalf Marais slotted the penalty.