NCC Pumas fly half, Eddie Fouché, missed a penalty on the hooter to give the Tafel Lager Griquas victory in a Preparation Series match in Kimberley on Saturday.
It was the Griquas second win of the series. The Pumas won one game, against the Toyota Cheetahs.
The Griquas were 11-0 up at half time. Tinus de Beer booted two penalties in the 26th and 39th minutes. Griquas’ Daniel Kasenda scored the only try of the first half, on 35 minutes.
Griquas deserved the half-time lead matching the Pumas’ physicality. It was a scrappy first 40 minutes. The Pumas hit back in the second half with inspired rugby.
Ettiene Taljaard scored a try after he chased a Fouché grubber. The try was not converted. Five minutes later Simon Westraad scored from a rolling maul and Fouché kicked the conversion. The referee then awarded a penalty try and the Pumas held a 19-11 lead.
HJ Luus and Sibabalo Qoma were yellow carded and with Griquas down to 13 men it seemed the Pumas were on track for a win.
It was not to be.
Two penalties by De Beer took the score to 19-17 in favour of the Pumas.
Fouche increased the lead to 22-17 with a penalty kick with 13 minutes to go.
Two more penalty kicks from the boot of De Beer gave Griquas a 23-22 lead.
The Pumas were awarded a scrum penalty on 80 minutes but Fouché pushed the kick to the right. It was game the Pumas should have won.
They dominated the scrums in the second half and played against 14 and then 13 men for over 20 minutes in the half. Griquas showed fight and guts to win the game, and deservedly so.
