The Phakisa Pumas’ last Currie Cup match of the season was a reflection of their six-match campaign. They played some expansive, quality rugby, and they also made poor on-field decisions and once again their defence let them down.

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs won the match at Mbombela Stadium 43-37.

The home team held a 22-7 lead  25 minutes into the match and led 22-17 at half-time.

Then, in the first 17 minutes of the second half, the Cheetahs ran in three tries and scored a penalty to the Pumas’ single three- pointer. Leading 38-25 with a quarter of the match remaining, the Cheetahs were not going to lose.

The Pumas scored five well-worked tries, two of which were possible candidates for try of the season. Their last try was gifted to them when Alwayno Visagie pounced on a loose ball in the Cheetahs’ in-goal area to score his third of the match.
The Cheetahs scored six tries. Four of them were thanks to poor Pumas’ defensive structures and one from an interception after a high-risk Pumas pass in their own half of the field.

The Pumas could have and should have won this one. They gave the game to the Cheetahs on a silver platter.

It was exciting and entertaining rugby, an 11-try match. But the Phakisa Pumas let their fans down again.

The Pumas’ Currie Cup season was summed up in the final phase of the match. On the hooter the Pumas had a line-out, their last opportunity to score a try and possibly win the game. They lost the line-out and the ball was booted into touch to end the game.

SCORERS

CHEETAHS: Tries: Bernhard Janse van Rensburg (2), Clayton Blommetjies, Ruan Pienaar, Jasper Wiese, Louis Fouche. Conversions: Louis Fouche (5). Penalty: Fouche

PUMAS: Alwayno Visagie (3), Devon Williams, Jeandre Rudolph. Conversions: Chris Smith (3). Penalties: Smith (2)

WATCH: Video and photos of over 13 000 soccer fans at Mbombela Stadium https://www.citizen.co.za/lowvelder/499031/watch-video-photos-13-000-soccer-fans-mbombela-stadium/

Saturday’s game was a disappointing end to a dismal Currie Cup campaign for the Mpumalanga team. They won one of their six matches, a 27-20 victory over the Cell C Sharks at home on August 3.

The Pumas were at the bottom of the log with all matches completed. The other six teams in the competition will play their final games this coming weekend.

They conceded 208 points in six games, an average of 35 per match. In their six matches the Pumas scored 161 points.

They are now in danger of playing in the Currie Cup First Division next season. They could play the top South African team on the first division log, the Down Touch Griffons, in a once-off promotion/relegation match on Friday September 6 at Mbombela Stadium.

It is not a forgone conclusion that the Pumas will end bottom of the log. The Vodacom Blue Bulls host the Sharks in both teams’ final group match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. If the Sharks win by eight or more points and the Blue Bulls do not score any bonus points, then the Pretoria team will move to the bottom of the log and the Pumas will finish sixth. It is extremely unlikely that this scenario will play out at Loftus.

Pumas fans can prepare themselves for a vital home match, the one which will decide in which division the team will play in next season. Let us hope the Pumas prepare themselves as well.