Pumas rout Cheetahs to go top
MATCH REPORT: The defending-champion Pumas routed the Cheetahs 61-21, to replace them at the top of the Currie Cup standings.
The Pumas outscored their hosts by nine tries to three in Bloemfontein in a game that install them as favourites in a tournament they won for the first time last year.
They are now also the only unbeaten team, with Friday’s outing the Cheetahs’ first defeat of the season.
* To recap all the Bloemfontein action, CLICK HERE!
The Pumas, after a scrappy start, got on the board first – with Thinus de Beer and Devon Williams combining to put centre Diego Appollis over for the first try.
The Cheetahs replied with a powerful maul try, Janus Venter getting the score and Andell Loubser adding the conversion.
The rest of the first half belonged to the visitors – Wian van Niekerk, Eduan Swart and replacement Llewellyn Classen scoring to bring the bonus point up before half-time.
After the break the Pumas took the game away from the home team with a two-try blitzkrieg – Williams and De Beer showing off their sublime skill to make it 40-7 after 50 minutes.
The Cheetahs finally awoke from their slumber – tries by Roelof Smith and Marcell Muller giving them a remote sniff.
However, De Beer and Williams again combined in a moment of magic that saw Stefan Coetzee over for a try that killed off any suggestion of a Cheetahs comeback – 47-21.
Williams benefitted from some backline magic and a sublime cut-out pass by De Beer to get two more tries and complete a hat-trick.
The scorers
For the Cheetahs’
Tries: Venter, Smith, Muller
Cons: Loubser 3
For the Pumas
Tries: Appollis, Van Niekerk, Swart, Classen, Williams 3, De Beer, Coetzee
Cons: De Beer 5, Thomson 3
Yellow card: Corne Fourie (Pumas, 54 – foul play, high tackle)
Teams
Cheetahs: 15 Andell Loubser, 14 Siba Xamlashe, 13 Marcell Muller, 12 Evardi Boshoff, 11 Xolisa Guma, 10 George Lourens, 9 Branden de Kock, 8 Andisa Ntsila, 7 George Cronje (captain), 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Jean Droste, 4 Ruan Janse van Rensburg, 3 Laurence Victor, 2 Janus Venter, 1 Wayrin Losper.
Replacements: 16 Jacques Goosen, 17 Kevin Stevens, 18 Boeta Loubser, 19 Johnre Stopforth, 20 Paul Schoeman, 21 Dian Koen, 22 Zinedine Booysen, 23 Thoubaan Gabriels.
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Etienne Taljaard, 13 Diego Appollis, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Lundi Msenge, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Chriswill September, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Francois Kleinhans, 6 Andre Fouche, 5 Shane Kirkwood (captain), 4 Deon Slabbert, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Corne Fourie.
Replacements: 16 Llewellyn Classen, 17 Etienne Janeke, 18 Juice Gumede, 19 Malembe Mpofu, 20 Ruwald van der Merwe, 21 Giovan Snyman, 22 Brandon Thomson, 23 Stefan Coetzee.
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Local
TMO: Egon Seconds
