Clinical Pukke win through to final

Varsity Cup teams, NWU-Pukke and Shimlas, will both be involved in finals at the 2009 SAA National Club Championships – Pukke in the main Cup Final and Shimlas in the Plate Final.

In fact, the defending champion Pukke will be aiming for their fourth SAA National Club Championships title in six years when they meet Western Province champions Hamilton’s in Saturday’s final, to be played at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Kick-off is at 1pm.

Pukke – the losing 2009 Varsity Cup finalists – advanced to the main event with a 43-16 (half-time 16-13) victory over spirited Valke champions Springs in a highly physical second semifinal at the LC de Villiers stadium on the University of Pretoria’s sport campus on Thursday.

In the first semifinal, Hamilton’s powered to a convincing 34-12 (half-time 20-5) victory over KwaZulu-Natal champions College Rovers in a match that confirmed their pre-tournament billing as one of the title favourites.

Pukke won the tournament in 2004, 2006 and 2008, but have never won back-to-back titles, while ‘Hammies’ had never made it to the Club Champs in their 134-year history – until now, of course.

Hamilton’s qualified by winning the WP Super League for the first time since 1936 – beating Varsity Cup teams Maties and the Ikey Tigers in the process – and a victory over Pukke will cap off the most successful season since they were founded in 1875.

The match is also the perfect climax to the South African club rugby season, as it pits the country’s form university and open teams against each other in a dream final to decide the overall club crown.

If Hamilton’s win, they will become the first open club since Pirates in 2001 to lift the trophy. Of course, Pirates were then under the tutelage of current Springbok assistant coach Dick Muir.

Springs are well known for their highly physical approach and Thursday was no different, as the East Rand team never for a moment took a backward step against their more celebrated opponents.

However, Pukke’s class was enough to ensure them of victory, and they opened the scoring in the seventh minute through a penalty from fullback Theuns Kotze. Springs replied in turn with a penalty from flyhalf Ashley Buchler.

Springs were then hamstrung when centre David de la Port was sin-binned for an alleged tip tackle, which indirectly resulted in hooker Stoffel Duvenhage getting his side’s first try from close range after a series of assaults on the Springs line.

But Springs were not about to go quietly into the night, and they bounced back on the half-hour when centre Armand Steynvaart sprinted in for a long-range effort that Buchler converted to tie up the scores and send the side’s travelling band of supporters into ecstatics.

Kotze and Buchler then traded a succession of penalties in the gloomy conditions, which resulted in a narrow half-time lead for the Potch students.

But Pukke showed their class within five minutes of the restart when lock Dirco Rautenbach rounded off a sweeping movement with a try in the left-hand corner to open up an eight-point lead.

The match then opened up and produced some thrilling broken-field running by both teams, with Kotze prominent for Pukke and wing Leon Lubbe proving dangerous for Springs.

But it was the boot of Buchler that kept the underdogs in the hunt. His third penalty in the 55th minute cut the deficit to just five points as the match entered a nail-biting final quarter.

Kotze kicked his fourth penalty in the 65th minute to re-establish the eight-point advantage after a high tackle but no sooner had play restarted than it was Buchler who was given a chance to reel in the arrears once more.

But unusually for him, the 26-year-old’s aim deserted him, and with it went some of the spring in Springs’ step, as they conceded three late tries to somewhat flatter the strong finishing men from Potch.

Meanwhile, Free State champions, FNB Shimlas, and home side, Pretoria Police, will contest the Plate Final, to be played at the Loftus Versfeld B field on Saturday at 11.30am.

Shimlas beat Kuruman 49-12 (half-time 7-7), whilst Bobbies beat Great Brak River 52-26 (half-time 28-14) in Thursday’s semifinals.

Pukke’s scorers:
Tries: Stoffel Duvenhage, Dirco Rautenbach, Nelis Nel, Jaco Lotter, Wouter Watermeyer
Cons: Theuns Kotze 3
Pens: Kotze 4