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The NSW Waratahs Super Rugby finals hopes have been extinguished by a 35-34 loss to the Cheetahs which extends their dreadful overseas record.
The NSW Waratahs have extended three separate losing streaks, as their faint Super Rugby finals hopes were extinguished and their season of anguish continued with a 35-34 loss to the Cheetahs.
The Waratahs led 14-0 and 34-21, but failed to score in the last 32 minutes of the game in Bloemfontein on Sunday morning (AEST).
Defensive lapses cost them dearly, as the Cheetahs piled on three tries and 21 points in 12 first-half minutes and their other 14 points came in a four-minute burst just before the hour.
The Sharks' win over the Stormers has made it mathematically impossible for the Waratahs to make the finals.
It was a fifth straight loss for the Waratahs, who have suffered seven successive defeats in South Africa, where they haven't won for three years.
NSW have lost their past 10 games overseas, with their last victory offshore against the Chiefs in Hamilton two years ago.
It was a third one-point defeat of the year for NSW, who have picked up seven bonus points for narrow losses.
The Cheetahs scored five tries to four and notched the last 14 points of the game through converted tries to prop WP Nel and outstanding winger Willie le Roux.
Waratahs' five-eighth Berrick Barnes fell just short with a penalty from near halfway in the 75th minute.
In the final minute, NSW advanced into the Cheetahs 22 but, with Barnes preparing for a field-goal attempt, the Cheetahs stalled their momentum and won a scrum feed.
"We rolled the dice and didn't come away with the right answer there," said Barnes, who displayed visible signs of verbal and physical frustration at the time.
"The lapses that have been hurting us all year, they were our Achilles heel again tonight.
"It's just frustrating to have that many close games this year and not be able to sneak away with it."
A frantic first half featured seven tries and hardly any scrums.
NSW struck twice in the first six minutes through No.8 Dave Dennis and lock Sitaleki Timani.
The Cheetahs levelled through converted tries to halfback Piet van Zyl and le Roux.
Brendan McKibbin kicked a penalty to restore the Waratahs' lead, but one of his passes was intercepted by Cheetahs' captain and hooker Adriaan Strauss, who ran almost 50 metres to give his team the lead.
NSW scored the last 14 points of the half, through converted tries to centre Rob Horne and Timani.
McKibbin swelled the advantage to 13 early in the second half with a penalty.
Wallabies' winger Drew Mitchell played for almost an hour in his first Super Rugby appearance in 13 months, but made little impact, while prop Sekope Kepu sprained an ankle.
Horne, who was suspended for a lifting tackle earlier in the season, was issued with an off-field yellow card after the game, for tackling the Cheetahs' Robert Ebersohn without using his arms and leading with his shoulder.
