Steval Pumas captain, Hennie Skorbinski was stretchered off the field late in the second half in the match against the Xerox Golden Lions on Sunday. He was suffering from fatigue and protocol was followed as a medical precaution.

The Steval Pumas medical team said this morning that Skorbinski will be back at training on Thursday, after rest and recovery time.

Skorbinski’s effort on the field at Mbombela Stadium was huge. He scored a try shortly before the physical toll of the game hit him. He’s attitude on the field rubbed off on the whole squad, and although it was not a clinical performance, the Pumas put their bodies on the line and fought to the end for a well-deserved 43-36 Currie Cup victory

Pumas coach, Brent Janse van Rensburg said, “The players put their bodies on the line. I respect the effort given. We made life hard for ourselves though, as we didn’t look after the ball well enough at times and coughed up possession too easily. But the players really wanted to play well and I think that pressure resulted in some impulsiveness. We will take a lot of good out of this match, as there were certainly some great touches out there, but at the same time we realise there is always work to do so that we can improve”.

It was a thrilling, high-paced Curie Cup match, with the score changing hands seven times, the teams on equal points on three occasions, and neither team leading the other by more than seven points at any stage.

Two key periods of the match gave the Pumas victory. First, two brilliantly executed tries, their last two, gave them the 43-36 lead.  A back-line move was finished by Skorbinski, who scythed through Ashlon Davids and Madosh Tambwe on his way to try line. Then Justin van Staden booted a cross kick which Gerrit Smith somehow gathered off a charging Davids. Gravity and momentum worked together and Smith dotted down.

This was followed by an eight-minute period in which the Lions camped in the Pumas half and launched wave after wave of attacks. The Lions had been in similar situations earlier in the second half and scored three tries. This time the Pumas wore their hearts on their sleeves. They defended magnificently and eventually drove the Lions back into their own half.

Then it was just a matter of waiting for the siren before the ball was booted into the east grandstand.

Another vital match-winning aspect was the Pumas scrums. They were a thing of beauty. Much to supporters’ delight, the home team dominated this set piece and won a couple of scrum penalties.

The Steval Pumas dominated territory and possession in the first half. Both teams were full of running and this made for an exciting spectacle for the 2 515-strong crowd.

The Pumas scored three tries to the Lions’ two in the first half for a deserved 24-17 lead.
The Lions came out roaring in the second half. They lifted the pace of the game and scored to level the match at 24-24. They threw caution to the wind and it paid dividends with two more well-worked team tries.

Both teams scored three tries in the second half. But it was with the score at 31-36, with 20 minutes to play that the Pumas showed what they were made of.

With the fast pace and high-risk rugby, both teams made too many unforced errors, but also produced moments of magic. It was awesome action for the fans who came to support the teams on a beautiful, sunny winter’s afternoon.

The Steval Pumas’ next match is against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday July 29 at 17:00.
The next home match will be against the Toyota Free State Cheetahs on Women’s Day, August 9 at 15:15. Entry will be free for moms and daughters.

Steval Pumas

Tries: Gerrit Smith (2), Nardus van der Walt, Francois Kleinhans, Justin van Staden, Hennie Skorbinski.
Conversions: Van Staden (5)
Penalties: Van Staden (1)
Yellow cards: Jerome Pretorius (50th minute)

Xerox Golden Lions

Tries: Stokkies Hanekom, Shaun Reynolds, Bradley Thain, Aphiwe Dyanti, Ashlon Davids.
Conversions: Reynolds (4)
Penalties: Reynolds (1).