Match Report: Steval Pumas vs SWD Eagles
GEORGE –The Steval Pumas had to travel to George this week for their second league encounter of the season against the SWD Eagles. It was a perfect sunny day for rugby in the
George region, with two former Hoërskool Nelspruit pupils included in the home team.
Marko Kruger recently moved down to George after being with the Steval Pumas for more than a year. The vice-captain of the Eagles, Mark Pretorius has played Pumas schools rugby, but played most of his professional rugby with the Xerox Lions.
The Steval Pumas’ Justin van Staden’s accurate kicking boot kept the score board rolling from as early as the seventh minute. An experienced SWD Eagles fly half, Hansie Graaf, had two early opportunities to kick at goal, and was successful with only one. Martin du Toit made use of a turnover ball to score the first five pointer for the home team. Graaf couldn’t convert.
Marnus Schoeman, the workhorse flanker of the Pumas returned the favour and scored the first Steval Pumas try of the season. Van Staden added the addition two points. Marcello Sampson showed off brilliant speed and skill for his try late in the half. He chased hard on a chip kick by Hoffmann Maritz. After retrieving it, he kicked it again to catch it for a brilliant try in the corner. Van Staden missed the conversion, but within a minute secured another penalty for the half time score of 21-8.
Fifteen minutes into the second the SWD forwards drew blood with a ten metre drive from a lineout. Graaf added the two points. Only a minute later they did it again to shrink the score to a one point difference with Graaf missing the conversion. Unlike Graaf’s kicking boot, the SWD forwards were on fire with Christo du Plessis scoring yet another try from a mall. By this time in the match, coach MJ Mentz used most of his impact players off the bench.
At the final whistle the SWD Eagles won the match by 25-21.
The next match at the Mbombela Stadium is on 22 April against the Boland Cavaliers. Kick-off is at 19:00 and tickets are available at R60/ adult, R10/scholar, Steval Pumas season tickets are R750 per person and Pumas Hospitality tickets are available at R1 450 per person. Enquiries:tjitjila@pumas.co.za
Run of play:
First half:
Tries:
SWD Eagles: Martin du Toit (24th)
Steval Pumas: Marnus Schoeman (27th), Marcello Sampson
Conversions:
SWD Eagles:
Steval Pumas: Justin van Staden (1)
Penalties:
SWD Eagles: Hansie Graaf (10th minute)
Steval Pumas: Justin van Staden (7th, 20th, 38th minute)
Half time score: 21-8 (Steval Pumas)
Second half:
Tries:
SWD Eagles: 2 x forwards mall (unsighted) (15th, 19th minute,) Christo du Plessis (30th minute)
Steval Pumas:
Conversions:
SWD Eagles: Hansie Graaf (1)
Steval Pumas: –
Penalties:
SWD Eagles:
Steval Pumas: Justin van Staden (1)
Final score: 25-21 (SWD Eagles)
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