Pumas delighted and undaunted
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Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse praised his team's intensity in their surprise 28-21 victory over the Cheetahs at the Mbombela Stadium after a long time out of the Currie Cup.
The Pumas were playing their first game in the top flight since 2011, but they out-scored the Cheetahs by three tries to two and were worthy winners on the opening weekend of Currie Cup action.
"It was our first game up in the Currie Cup and the players were obviously a bit tense, but the intensity was brilliant and the guys refused to lay down," Stonehouse said.
"We were under pressure in the first 10 minutes and it was great to come back the way that we did."
The Pumas coach is undaunted by the scale of the task ahead of them in the Currie Cup and said he expects his team to win at home.
"Playing at home is a great advantage for us, but if we want to make the semifinals then winning at home is a must, and we have to win away from home too.
"It's obviously a good to start with a win like that at home, but at least getting bonus points away from home is what we're aiming for.
"Our scrums obviously went well and we also set up our mauls brilliantly, but we made life difficult for ourselves by losing a couple of lineouts. We also need to play into space a bit more."
Stonehouse will be aware that his next challenge will be a tougher ask when the Pumas travel away from their fortress in Nelspruit to take on the Sharks in Durban.
The Sharks came away from Kimberley with a victory against a 14-man Griquas team that pushed the defending champions further that was to be expected.
For the Pumas, the focus will be on nullifying the Sharks electric backline while trying to compete with their famed physicality.
Stonehouse will be buoyed by his first hit-out, especially when looking to compete up front in the scrums and mauls.
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