Pukke bounce back at home

NWU-Pukke bounced back from last week’s disappointing loss (to UCT) to secure a hard-earned 17-16 home win over Shimlas in their FNB Varsity Cup match presented by Steinhoff International on Monday evening.

Playing in front of a large and vociferous home crowd in Potchefstroom, FNB Pukke outscored the visitors by two tries to one in a come-from-behind win – having trailed 0-10 after 30 minutes and 10-13 at half-time.

It may have been a close shave, but the one-pointer keeps them in the top three on the standings with four rounds of league action to go.

Pukke coach Rudy Joubert said before the game they could not possibly play worse than last week – when they lost 11-18 to UCT in Cape Town. However, the first half was no better than what they produced at Groote Schuur, even though the conditions were near perfect in Potch.

Shimlas looked full of running from the outset and often threatened, but they were a touch over-eager and let themselves down with some ordinary handling.

In that first half Shimlas were also far more energetic at the breakdown, while stealing a number of lineouts. Another outstanding aspect of the visitors’ game was the offensive tackling that often knocked the Pukke runners backwards.

In turn, Pukke looked decidedly nervous, giving away several early penalties. Their handling was also very ordinary, wasting a number of opportunities. The home team also let themselves down on defence in first half, missing 12 tackles in the first half-an-hour.

However, the Pukke coach, Joubert, made changes at half-time – including bringing on props BG Uys and Johan Coetzee.

While this sparked the home team into action, their handling was still not as secure as it should have been.

However, their set-pieces were far more secure and possession meant territorial advantage – which they used to force the Shimlas to concede possession under pressure – resulting in a crucial try early in the second half. That try proved to be the decider, even though the visitors fought to the bitter end.

The standout players for Shimlas were fullback George Whitehead and captain Wayne Stevens, at centre. Whitehead, apart from his goal-kicking, was always dangerous on the counter-attack, while Stevens was impressive in taking up the ball and knocking back the Pukke runners on defence.

For Pukke captain Dirco Rautenbach was a rock, while the disappointment of the night was the first-half performance of star scrumhalf Andries Mahoney. The nuggety No.9 got better as the game progressed, but overall he was well below his usual lofty standards.

The Shimlas got off to a rocking start, with scrumhalf Jaco Colyn sniping around a ruck – following a series of forward raids – to exploit some sloppy defence and burst over for the opening try. Fullback George Whitehead added the conversion and the visitors had a 7-0 lead before five minutes were up on the clock.

Whitehead, who had missed a long-range effort earlier, slotted a penalty from 20 metres out to make it 10-0 after 15 minutes.

Pukke’s first real scoring chance in the first half came in the form of a penalty in the 32nd minute, with fullback Theuns Kotzé slotting the kick for a 3-10 scoreline.

With Shimlas winning another turnover and then storming up-field with a typical forwards raid, they won a penalty. However, Whitehead pushed it wide to the right.

Theuns Kotzé then stepped past some shoddy tackling – as Shimlas began to tire after their strong start – and off-loaded to Johannes Seerane, who put fellow wing SP Marias over for the home team’s first try. Kotzé added the conversion to level the scores up at 10-all with two minutes to go.

With time up and Shimlas pressing hard, Pukke were again penalised at the tackle/ruck and Whitehead put his team into a 13-10 half-time lead.

Shimlas, making some uncharacteristic errors, handed the early second-half momentum to the Pukke. And they were made to pay for their erroneous ways when – after a series of rushes by forwards and backs – Pukke captain Dirco Rautenbach barged over from close range for his team’s second try. Kotzé added the extras to make it 17-13 after 49 minutes.

The visitors then settled down and by controlling possession inside the Pukke half earned a penalty – with Whitehead slotting his third goal to make it a one-point game at 16-17. In the 64th minute Shimlas won a lineout penalty and Whitehead stepped up again, but he hooked it badly from 42 metres out.

Whitehead had another chance to regain the lead in the 69th minute, but this time it just shaved the upright on the wrong side. Shimlas launched another late raid, with Beast Ndwandwa unleashed on the home team in the final five minutes. But Pukke – last year’s losing finalists – held on for a nail-biting 17-16 win.

The scorers:

For FNB Pukke:
Tries: Marias, Rautenbach
Cons: Kotzé 2
Pen: Kotzé

For FNB Shimlas:
Try: Colyn
Con: Whitehead
Pens: Whitehead 3

The teams:

Pukke: 15 Theuns Kotzé, 14 SP Marias, 13 Ruan Jacobs, 12 Cecil Dumond, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Niell Jacobs, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 Thabo Mamojele, 7 Siya Mdaka, 6 Savvas Nel, 5 Markus Fourie, 4 Dirco Rautenbach (captain), 3 Stephanus Bezuidenhout, 2 Stoffel Duvenage, 1 Dewald Coetzee.
Replacements: 16 BW van Dyk, 17 BG Uys, 18 Francois Robbertse, 19 Thabo Molete, 20 Willem Barnard, 21 Kempie Rautenbach, 22 Andrew van Wyk, 23 Johan Coetzee.

Shimlas: 15 George Whitehead, 14 Divandré Strydom, 13 Earl Snyman, 12 Wayne Stevens (captain), 11 Rashied Isaacs, 10 Reinhardt Erwee, 9 Jaco Colyn, 8 Boom Prinsloo, 7 Willie Britz, 6 Hanno Pieterse, 5 Henjo van Niekerk, 4 Joubert Horn, 3 Vaatjie Koorsen, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Ian Potgieter.
Replacements: 16 Gert Erasmus, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Lebo Zietsman, 19 Sybrand Mostert, 20 Tumelo Moholo, 21 Johan van Schalkwyk, 22 Beast Ndwandwa, 23 André Schlechter.

Referee: Tiaan Jonker