The Toyota Cheetahs lost a second consecutive game following a 20-10 defeat against Irish side Ulster at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, Ireland, on Saturday.
The South Africans were outscored two tries to one, while Ruan Pienaar kicked 5 points for the South Africans and Bill Johnston kicked 10 points for the home side.
Pienaar was playing against the side he represented for seven years scoring 877 points in 141 appearances before he left in May 2017.
Tom O’Toole’s try and five points from Johnston gave Ulster a 10-3 lead at the break, with Pienaar’s penalty the Cheetahs’ only reply.
Rober Baloucoune dotted down in the second half with Johnston adding another five points through the boot to make it 20-3 before the hour mark.
Clayton Blommetjies’ try and Pienaar’s conversion reduced the arrears but the Irish side held on for the win which put them 10 points clear of the South Africans.
The Cheetahs remain fourth in Conference A, with 31 points, behind leaders Leinster, Ulster and Glasgow Warriors.
Elsewhere, the Isuzu Southern Kings lost their sixth straight match after going down 36-17 to Welsh side Scarlets at the Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Wales, on Sunday.
Courtney Winnaar got the South Africans on board first with a penalty in the 13th minute. However, a converted try by Tevita Ratuva six minutes later gave the home side the lead.
The Kings again edged ahead in the 27th minute through a try by Howard Mnisi which Demetri Catrakilis converted for a 10-7 lead.
The home side would go into the break as Ed Kennedy’s unconverted try made it 12-10.
The visitors retook the lead six minutes after the restart when Christopher Hollis dotted down and Catrakilis’ successful conversion made it 17-12.
That would be as good as it got for the Kings as four tries from Ryan Conbeer, Uzair Cassiem, Dan Davis and Tom Rogers, along with two conversions, saw the home side secure a bonus-point win.
The Kings are still bottom of Conference B with just a solitary win and seven points.
