The Phakisa Pumas threw away a victory over the DHL Stormers at Mbombela Stadium tonight.

The home team led 37-14 with 20 minutes of the Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked match left. They lost 42-37.

The Pumas totally dominated the match for the first 60 minutes.

Such was their dominance that they scored seven points and defended a maul with seven forwards on their own try line, when Jeandré Rudolph received a yellow card and sat out for 10 minutes.

The Pumas scored first from an Eddie Fouche penalty within the first minute.

The Stormers hit back almost immediately when a charged down kick ended in a try by Rikus Pretorius.

From here it was a Pumas onslaught of note.

Neil Maritz scored off an intercept and Fouche converted. Pumas 10-7.

Erich Cronje broke the Stormers defence and offloaded to

Rudolph who claimed the try. Fouche converted. Pumas 17-7.

Fouche added two penalties. Pumas 23 -7.

The fly half, who had been in sublime form all night, suffered a bad leg injury in a tackle and was stretchered off. He was replaced by Niel Marais.

The Stormers scored off an attack of multiple phases finished off by Herchel Jantjies. Tim Swiel converted. Pumas 23-14.

Rudolph then showed remarkable pace to crack the Stormers defence and offloaded to Wayne van der Bank to score. Marias converted. Pumas were 30-14 at half-time.

The Pumas played aggressive rugby. They were physical and the Stormers were simply battling with the pace and precision of the Pumas’ game.

The second half continued with the Pumas blitz despite Rudolph’s yellow in the 49th minute for pushing Jantjies onto the advertising boards.

Maritz claimed his second try after a string of excellent attacking phases. Marais converted from the right touch line. Pumas 37-14.

Then, with players coming off the Pumas’ bench in the 55th, 60th and 68th minutes, their game fell apart.

Their scrums were poor with the replacement front row not being able to cope.

The Pumas lost the plot, and with the visitors scoring four tries in 19 minutes, the game.

Neethling Fouche scored when, for the first time in the match, the Pumas defensive line was a shambles.

After numerous failed mauls, the Stormers’ Bongi Mbonambi scored off a maul.

The Stormers ran at the Pumas from their own half with Leolin

Zas finishing off.

With two minutes left, Warrick Gelant scored from another attack

that started in Stormers territory.

Swiel was on target with all four conversions. Stormers 42-37.

The Pumas showed they have a starting 15 to match any side in the competition. But they need a match squad of 23 to be a contender for the championship. This is something they did not have tonight.

The run-on team were superb.

Rudolph was a raging bull (or puma), Devon Williams was slick and thought on his feet. Willie Engelbrecht was enormous on defence and attack.

But it all came apart. The Stormers must receive praise for their tremendous fightback. They kept at it and pulled it off once the changes were rung to the Pumas on-field team.

The Pumas are improving with every match. If this trend continues, they are not out of it yet.