Pumas hard at work on training field in preparation for 2024 Currie Cup
Coach Jimmy Stonehouse is confident that the Pumas will play in their third successive Currie Cup final.
The Airlink Pumas will kick off their 2024 Currie Cup Premier Division campaign against the Suzuki Griquas in Kimberley at 15:00 on July 5.
The competition will be played in a new format this season, with the eight teams divided into two pools.
Pool A will consist of the Toyota Cheetahs, the Vodacom Bulls, the DHL Western Province and the NovaVit Griffons. Pool B sees the Hollywoodbets Sharks, Airlink Pumas, Fidelity ADT Lions and Suzuki Griquas grouped together.
Teams will play home and away matches within their respective pools, plus a single round of games against sides in the opposite pool. The two top-ranked teams in each pool will progress to the semi-finals on September 14, with the two winners set to battle it out for the famous Currie Cup in the September 21 final.
The Airlink Pumas won the Currie Cup against the Griquas in 2022, and lost in the final to the Toyota Cheetahs last year. Pumas coach, Jimmy Stonehouse, is looking forward to the Currie Cup and putting the squad through their paces on the practice field.
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“I would have preferred a full round of home and away games against the other pool’s teams to give our sponsors more
home publicity. We have signed a few new players. Eduan Swart is back and Nitsan Visante, a hooker, has joined us. Darren Adonis who plays wing and full back has signed, as has Carlton Bannies (centre), Hanno Theunissen (lock), Nevaldo Fleurs (fly-half/full back), Richman Goro (scrum half) and Danrich Visagie (fly-half),” said Stonehouse.
“We want to play in our third consecutive final. We have a good squad, but need to get the players to gel. We have lots of new players and the Currie Cup starts soon, so it’s hard work on the training field. We look forward to it and I believe we can play in
the final.”
The Airlink Pumas fixtures are (home team first):
• Griquas vs Pumas – July 5
• Pumas vs Lions – July 12
• Pumas vs Sharks – July 19
• Pumas vs Griquas – July 27
• Sharks vs Pumas – August 3
• Lions vs Pumas – August 10
• Pumas vs Bulls – August 17
• Griffons vs Pumas – August 25
• WP vs Pumas – September 1
• Pumas vs Cheetahs – September 7.
