Pumas in the News

Bulls deliver the goods in second half

Monday, 08 March 2010 13:18 | Written by Ken Borland |

SuperRugby
- by Ken Borland | 05 March 2010 (19:01)

The Vodacom Blue Bulls scored 22 points in the second half to beat the Pumas 29-15 (half-time 7-3) after an uninspiring first half in their Vodacom Cup match in Pretoria on Friday.

The Pumas, who will be playing in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division this year, have not won in Pretoria in nine years and they seemed to have a chance as they rattled a Bulls team featuring several players who were teenage stars not long ago.

The Bulls had to do with the ferocious driving play of the bulky Pumas forwards and both teams were in sight of the tryline in the opening quarter when handling mistakes cost them dear.

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Pumas hard aan die oefen

Friday, 26 February 2010 12:31 | Written by Zita Goldswain |

Die Pumas is hard aan die oefen vir die 2010 Vodacombeker-reeks wat dié naweek afskop.

Die Puma-afrigter, Jimmy Stonehouse is vol vertroue dat sy pak se gebrul dié seisoen ver gehoor sal word.

As daar gekyk word na hulle vertoning teen die Griffons die afgelope naweek dan is dit verseker dat die span se harde werk die afgelope paar weke mandjies vol vrugte gaan pluk. Die Pumas het die Griffons met 'n allemintige 64-16 gewen.

Ricardo Croy, een van die nuwelinge in die span het 'n fees op die veld gehad. Dié veelsydige speler van die Arende het reeds sy plek in Stonehouse se agterlyn los gespeel vir die komende naweek se kragmeting teen die Valke.

Nie alleen ryg hy drieë een na die ander in nie, hy is ook 'n uitstekende skopper. Hy het met al vyf sy doelskoppe teen die Griffons geslaag. Allistair Kettledas het ook weer bewys hoekom hy verlede jaar se top drie drukker was. Hy het twee drieë gedruk. Die res van die drieë is deur Coenie Nolte, Dawie Steyn, Brett Nel, Tiaan Meyer, Willem Serfontein, Martin Sithole, Hendrik van der Nest en Roelof Steyn gedruk. Meyer het ook met 'n doelskop geslaag.

Toeskouers kan vuurwerke met die agterlyn verwag omdat Stonehouse besluit het om Croy saam met Elgar Watts, Tiaan Marx, Roelof Steyn, Kettledas en Nicky Kritzinger te laat begin. Voorlangs gaan Stonehouse moontlik die Ronnie Uys, Ashley Buys, Luan Velthuizen, Jaco Bouwer, Brett Nel, Marius Coetser, Corné Steenkamp en Doppies le Roux kombinasie gebruik.

In die tweede helfte gaan Eduan van der Walt, Willem Serfontein, Tian Meyer, Sisiwe Magaba en Braam Pretorius ook speelkans kry.
Rosché van der Westhuizen, die jong stut van die Vrystaat en Jarrod Taylor wat gekontrakteer is om die leemte te vul wat deur Hannes Franklin wat nou Super 14 speel en Harry Vermaas en Torsten van Jaarsveld wat met beserings sukkel, te vul op haker, gaan op die bank begin.

"Dit is van uiterste belang dat ons die eerste wedstryd wen om dan reeds met bonuspunte in die sak die Bulle weg aan te durf," het Stonehouse gesê. Die Pumas pak die Bulle volgende naweek.

Die kragmeting teen die Valke begin Vrydag 26 Februarie om 19:00. Kaartjies beloop R60 vir volwassenes en R10 vir leerders. Kaartjies is by Computicket beskikbaar.

Pumas pick Watts & Croy

Wednesday, 24 February 2010 12:05 | Written by SAPA |

Elgar Watts and Ricardo Croy - this is the clever move Jimmy Stonehouse made in selecting his Puma side for Friday's (26 March 2010) Vodacom rugby clash with the Valke in Witbank.

Watts, from Boland, starts at flyhalf while Croy, from the Eagles, will be in the centre position. These two can interchange at any given time in any situation.

Another new recruit, former Leopard Nicky Kritzinger, will cover the fullback position and will give his team lots of attacking options from the back.

The Pumas have ample kicking power in their side with Braam Pretorius, Croy, Watts and Tiaan Meyer in the side.

Former Eagle Hendrik van der Nest is back at scrumhalf in the absence of Jacques Coetzee who is with the Lions Super 14 squad, and former Shark Tiaan Meyer on the bench.

Then the Pumas opted to start with two fetchers in Corne Steenkamp, who will lead the side in 2010, in tandem with Jaco Bouwer and these two will surely make life difficult for opponents on the ground this year.

The Pumas will have a Bajada scrum with three props in the front row in Brett Nell in the middle between Ronnie Uys and Ashley Buys.

Some players were unlucky not to make the cut. With Croy at 12 there was no place for Siviwe Magaba and Eduan van der Walt is also unlucky not to get a start at flank or lock.

Young prop Roche van der Westhuizen, who came via the Eagles from the Free State, and hooker Jarrod Taylor, are both on the bench.

Pumas
Nicky Kritzinger; Braam Pretorius, Tiaan Marx, Ricardo Croy, Allister Ketteldas; Elgar Watts, Hendrik van der Nest; Doppies le Roux, Jaco Bouwer, Corne Steenkamp (captain), Marius Coetzer, Luhan Velthuizen, Ashley Buys, Brett Nel, Ronnie Uys.

Reserves
Jarrod Taylor, Roche van der Westhuizen, Eduan van der Walt, Pieter Meyer, Tiaan Meyer, Siviwe Magaba, Roelof Steyn.

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