The Phakisa Pumas staged a remarkable second-half fightback to defeat the Cell C Sharks at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.

The visitors were leading 17-9 at half-time and dominating the match. But a Pumas team with a very different attitude came onto the pitch for the second 40 minutes. They were focused and motivated.

In the first half they looked like a team that did not want to lose. In the second half they looked like a team who wanted to win.

Chris Smith put the Pumas into the lead early after the Sharks were for penalised for a high tackle.

With the visitors enjoying much of the territorial and ball possession, winger Lwazi Mvovo put the Sharks 5-3 up after they moved the ball from the right to the left side of the field and outpaced the Pumas’ defensive line.

The Pumas gifted the Sharks possession on the halfway line and winger Kobus van Wyk sprinted 50 metres to score under the poles. Curwin Bosch added the two points.

With the Sharks leading 12-3 after 17 minutes, it seemed the Pumas were again going to let their faithful fans down.

A 48th minute Smith penalty took the Pumas to six points. Then Bosch ran through poor Pumas defence and converted to silence the home supporters.

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Smith gave the Pumas a glimmer of hope with a penalty just before the half time hooter, but the visitors held a 17-9 half-time lead.

Both teams ran the ball in the first half. The difference was, the Sharks’ defence was solid and the Pumas’ poor.

In the second half the Sharks were the same team, but the Pumas were not. They played as a closer unit. Nothing fancy, simply doing the basics right and making use of their opportunities.

Coach Jimmy Stonehouse admitted after the game that the Pumas’ poor decision making and unforced errors haunted them in the first half. A few quiet words at half-time put the team back in a positive space.

“We kept the ball. We put up phases. We did not knock on the ball. We did not make poor passes or decisions. Accuracy at the breakdown was brilliant. We controlled the ball and made fewer mistakes in the second and that gave us the win,” said Stonehouse.

It took just 40 seconds in the second half for flanker Francois Kleinhans to score after he intercepted the ball shortly after the kickoff. Smith converted and a hungry Pumas team were one point behind.

A Smith penalty gave them the lead for the second time in the game. Bosch then slotted a three-pointer to regain the lead for the Sharks.

Replacement hooker, Simon Westraadt, then scored from the Pumas’ signature five metre line-out and maul. Smith missed the conversion from a difficult angle, but made up for it by slotting a penalty from close to the left touchline in the 74th minute, for the 27-20 win.

The Pumas were a much better team in the second half. They played with intensity. Their line-outs improved and they used their possession well.

The Phakisa Pumas face DHL Western Province at Newlands on Friday night and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs at home on Saturday August 17. Their aim is nothing less than a full house of 10 log points.