The moment of truth has finally arrived
The moment of truth has finally arrived for the Steval Pumas as the play-offs for the 2014 Vodacom Cup is here.
“It’s weird how the stress levels are different now than when we played the normal league. This is a win or lose and we definitely didn’t work this hard throughout the season to lose,” coach Jimmy Stonehouse said.
Friday night is going to be a north against south contest as Western Province travels to Nelspruit for the quarter final clash. This will be the first time in the competition that these two teams meet in the quarters and a third consecutive year for the Steval Pumas in the quarter finals.
“We didn’t make too many changes to the starting 15 thus the team is a well-oiled machine. But due to Drew van Coller’s hamstring injury after last weekend’s clash against the Golden Lions, our scrums could be a target for the visitors. Yet I am confident that the team will once again step up their game as they did against the bigger provinces.
Our front row suffered a blow a couple of weeks ago when Vincent Koch was out, but luckily he’s back too.” Super 15 expertise in the likes of Marcello Sampson and the recent chosen Lions’ player, Coenie van Wyk will surely have an impact when they are given some game time tonight.
Kick off for the encounter is at 19:00 and the coaching staff expects an action-packed match.
Although province is fourth on the southern section’s log, it doesn’t mean they’re travelling to Nelspruit to lose. “It’s game on, and we are more ready as ever,” the experienced captain and loose forward, Corné Steenkamp said.
The Pumas are once again captained by Steenkamp who has had a fabulous season thus far and it seems that he’s like a good red wine, better and better with age.
The rest of the team is as follow: JW Bell, Jerome Pretorius, Wilmaure Louw, Hennie Skorbinski, Ruwellyn Isbell, JC Roos, Sinovuyo Nyoka, Renaldo Bothma, Uzair Cassiem, Steenkamp, Marius Coetzer, Giant Mtyanda, DeJay Terblanche, Jacques Momberg and Vincent Koch. On the bench are Frank Herne, Sabelo Nhlapo, RW Kember, Jaco Bouwer, Reynier van Rooyen, Coenie van Wyk and Marcello Sampson.
See you at the stadium with your pink supporters kit!
