The ISG Pumas and Tafel Lager Griquas meet in a top-of-the-table clash at Kudu Park, Nelspruit Rugby Club tomorrow.

Griquas and the Pumas each have a full house of 20 log points, both teams scoring four consecutive bonus-point victories.

Pumas make hard work of victory over Leopards
Griquas top the North Section log on points difference.
Outside the knockout phase, tomorrow’s battle will be the most important for both teams in this year’s SuperSport Rugby Challenge.

ISG Pumas off to a winning start

The winner will continue on the high road to a home semi-final and possible final. The ISG Pumas have score 21 tries in their four matches, but have conceded 14. The Tafel Lager Griquas have scored 27 tries and only conceded nine.
To win the Pumas must break the tight and disciplined Griquas defence.

Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse admitted that a titanic battle awaits tomorrow. “Griquas have a big pack of forwards with a great loose forward combination. They have a well-balanced pack and an excellent boot at number 10 (George Whitehead), and the back three who are very good steppers and great runners. They will focus on the set pieces and getting penalties from these. Brent Janse van Rensburg is a very technical coach so he will look for small things where they can get over the game line and score points,” said Stonehouse.

Griquas might be setting the pace in the North Section of the competition, but Janse van Rensburg ensured that his squad are not resting on their laurels. “We have prepared well and the team wants to keep improving. Pumas are a good team and we will need to be up for a physical battle and handle the threats they pose at set piece, on attack and kicking game,” he said.

Then there is the the matter of what occurred at Bridgton Sports Ground in Outshoorn on July 15, 2018. The Pumas had won all their matches on the road to last season’s final and faced Griquas at the neutral venue.

Griquas outplayed the Pumas for much of the game and held a 30-29 lead on the siren. In the 83rd minute, after 25 phases of attack on the Griquas try line Stefan Ungerer passed from the base of a maul to reserve fly half, Justin van Staden who drop-kicked the match and tournament winning three points.

The last time the two teams faced each other was five weeks after that fateful day in Outshoorn. Griquas travelled to Mbombela Stadium for the opening match of the 2018 Currie Cup. The Pumas scored a record 42-19 win over the lads from Kimberley.

Former Pumas coach, Janse van Rensburg is the head coach of the Griquas. He spent two seasons (2017 and 2018) with the Mpumalanga union. His tenure came to an end seven months after Stonehouse was appointed the Pumas’ director of rugby.

The only mission for either team will be to win and go top of the log. Two round-robin matches remain for each team after tomorrow’s encounter. The loser will not be out of the running, the race will just be harder.

The match starts at 15:00. Tickets cost R30 per adult and will be sold at the gate of Nelspruit Rugby Club. Schoolchildren enter for free. Food and beverages will be on sale.

The “bakkie braai brigade” famous for packing the north, east and south ends of the pitch are encouraged to arrive early. Premium viewing spots are at stake.

“Nelspruit Rugby Club remains a home game for us. It’s a great place to play. We would like the fans to come out in their thousands to support us. Having a lot of people there – they will lend plenty of vocal support and we need this one, ” said Stonehouse.