The Steval Pumas were thrashed by the Xerox Golden Lions but were embarrassed by themselves, in an Absa Currie Cup match at Mbombela Stadium on Friday night.

After kicking the competition off with an impressive 33-24 win over the Cell C Sharks, the Pumas battled with their set pieces, discipline and producing a dominating game plan, against the Xerox Lions (44-27 loss) two weeks ago and EP Kings (13-15 win), last Friday.

Last Wednesday Pumas coach MJ Mentz admitted that he was not satisfied with the team’s performance against the Kings. “We were not happy with the general play. We made unforced errors,” he said.

Concerning Friday’s match Mentz emphasised the Pumas’ desire to make sure they play the right kind of rugby at home and come out firing.

It was not to be as the home team were outplayed in every aspect of the game by the slick and motivated Lions.

The visitors kept it simple. They did the basics very well and the rest fell into place. The fact that the Pumas’ inability to maintain discipline bordered on the bizarre, made the Lions’ job so much easier.

Just two weeks earlier the Pumas’ discipline had cost them dearly in the match at Emirates Airline Park. With 28 minutes left to play and the score at 27-27 a succession of poor decisions, including a deliberate tap-down by JC Roos, resulted in a second penalty try and a yellow card. The Lions scored 17 unanswered points. The first penalty try was a scrum-infringement try in the first half.

On Friday night the Steval Pumas did not wait quite so long to prove that no lessons had been learnt and the only steps that have been taken concerning discipline, have been backwards.

Captain Stefan Watermeyer conceded a penalty try and earned a yellow card for a deliberate knockdown in the sixth minute. Marnus Schoeman, Uzair Cassiem and Khwezi Mona were also yellowcarded in the space of 13 minutes in the first half. Down to 13 players for some time, the Pumas conceded 14 points.

The Xerox Golden Lions led 16-3 at half-time and won the match 41-11.

They dominated the line-outs and scrums. The were structured on attack and defence. As the match progressed the Lions grew stronger and they were the fitter and better prepared team.

Lions fly half and Hoërskool Nelspruit alumni, Marnitz Boshoff kicked 21 points and has scored 40 points in his last two matches against the Pumas.

After the match Mentz voiced his disappointment at the team’s performance. “We battled in the set pieces and received three red cards. The Lions dominated and we could not get going. In the first half we had good territorial advantage but we could not get the points. In general I am not at all pleased,” he said.

Friday’s night’s match was the Steval Pumas’ worst performance ever at Mbombela Stadium. Before the Pumas can even attempt to continue pressing for a semi-final place in the Absa Currie Cup they need to address discipline, match tactics, decision making and team spirit. Various players claim the the squad is a close-knit family, a band of brothers. The performance and body language on the field on Friday suggested otherwise.

The Steval Pumas travel to Durban to face the Cell C Sharks on Saturday.

The Sharks will be motivated by revenge and could assume that the Pumas, who seem to be battling with various issues, might be ripe for the picking.

The Pumas will be hurting, they know the fans deserve more. No doubt the Pumas training sessions this week will be a place of choice words and steely determination to get the Currie Cup campaign back on track. The mental and physical mountain will be huge. It is time for this band of brothers to stand up and be counted. The semi-finals are seven weeks away. If the Pumas are one of those four teams, the poor performance against the Lions on Friday August 28 will be a distant memory for the loyal Steval Pumas fans.

There are no injury concerns and all players are fit for selection.

Do not be surprised if a certain Vincent Koch props up the Pumas scrum on Saturday.

Steval Pumas

Try: Faf de Klerk;

Penalties: JC Roos (2).

Xerox Golden Lions

Tries: Kwagga Smith (2), Jacques van Rooyen, Penalty try;

Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (3);

Penalties: Boshoff (4);

Drop goal: Boshoff.