Pumas will top log table without putting on their boots
The match between the Sharks and the Pumas has been cancelled.
The NNC Pumas will top the Currie Cup log after this weekend without touching a rugby ball when they are given four log points for the cancelled Carling Currie Cup match against the Cell C Sharks which was supposed to be played in Durban on Friday night.
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DHL Western Province, that are top of the log with 12 points at the time of writing, have a Currie Cup bye this weekend; they will be playing the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.
The Pumas will move up to 15 log points. The Tafel Lager Griquas and the Vodacom Blue Bulls will move to 14 points after the scheduled match between these two teams was also cancelled yesterday. The Griquas will be in second place due to superior points difference.
The Pumas lost by a single point to the Toyota Cheetahs last Friday.
The home team won the match 17-16. Both teams made a mass of unforced errors.
The Pumas again found themselves with 80 minutes of poor decision-making and mistakes that simply should not be made at this level of rugby.
The Cheetahs played 20 minutes of the match with 14 players, but the Pumas failed to score tries during this time. The visitors failed to cross the tryline in the game, but were awarded a penalty try.
Poor handling in the first half hampered both teams and potential tries went abegging.
The home team’s Juandré Rudolph was yellow-carded in the 10th minute for playing the ball on the ground with the Pumas attacking under the uprights.
Eddie Fouché put the Pumas up 6-0 before Ruan Pienaar slotted a three-pointer to take the scoreboard to 3-6 at half-time.
Early in the second half, Willie Engelbrecht was yellow-carded and the Pumas played with 14 men for 10 minutes.
During this period, the Cheetahs scored a try. Cohen Jasper created the space and off-loaded to Pienaar who also converted.
A Fouché penalty took the Pumas within one point of the home side.
The Cheetahs’ backline broke the Pumas’ defence shortly afterwards, and Lesley Botha went over for his side’s second try. Pienaar added the two points.
The NNC Pumas were awarded a penalty try with 10 minutes remaining when the Cheetahs collapsed a maul close to their tryline.
The home team’s Conraad van Vuuren received a card late in the game, but the Pumas could not take advantage of the situation and the game ended 17-16.
