Pumas in quarters
The Pumas booked their place in the quarterfinal after beating Valke on Saturday.
The Steval Pumas booked their place in the quarterfinal of the SuperSport Rugby Challenge when they beat the Hino Valke 47-33 (halftime 28-14) at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.
The Pumas, who ran in six tries along with a penalty try, will contest the quarterfinals as one of the best third-placed teams after the round-robin stages were completed.
Despite the Valke's Christian Rust running in two tries and slotting four conversions for a personal tally of 18 points, the visitors were outplayed and ended fourth in the North Section, nine points clear of the bottom placed Windhoek Draught Welwitchias.
The visitors began strongly and opened the scoring with their first try through scrumhalf Anrich Richter, which was converted by Rust after nine minutes.
But the home side took control and ran in three converted tries to take a 14-point lead after 33 minutes.
The homes side scored through flanker Francois Kleinhans, outside centre Hennie Skorbinski and scrumhalf Emile Temperman with flyhalf Sias Ebersohn converting all three tries. But then Rust produced some magic to score the first of his two tries and converting to reduce the deficit to just seven points shortly before halftime. But with the Pumas on the attack just before the whistle, and the Valke trying desperately to keep them at bay, prop Andries Schutte was shown a yellow card as the Valke were warned after numerous infringements. Referee Cwengile Jadezveni had no option but to award a penalty try which Ebersohn converted to give the home side a 14-point halftime advantage.
Despite being a man down, the Valke started the second stanza strongly as they did the first half and scored first through flanker Dwight Pansegrou and the deficit was reduced to seven points as Rust slotted the conversion.
But the hosts burst out of sight as hooker Frankie Herne and then centre Ryan Nell scored with replacement flyhalf Justin van Staden only able to convert Nell's effort.
With the Pumas leading by 19 points midway through the second half, Rust burst through to score in the corner but was unable to convert his second try to leave the visitors trailing by 14 points.
The Pumas extended their lead back out 19 points when left wing Ruwellyn Isbell darted down the touchline to score, which Van Staden converted but the Valke had the last word when their left wing, Etienne Taljaard scored on the stroke of fulltime. The victory moved the Pumas to 29 points, level on points with the Vodacom Blue Bulls but with an inferior points difference and will wait to see who they are drawn against the in last eight.
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The Pumas, who ran in six tries along with a penalty try, will contest the quarterfinals as one of the best third-placed teams after the round-robin stages were completed.
Despite the Valke's Christian Rust running in two tries and slotting four conversions for a personal tally of 18 points, the visitors were outplayed and ended fourth in the North Section, nine points clear of the bottom placed Windhoek Draught Welwitchias.
The visitors began strongly and opened the scoring with their first try through scrumhalf Anrich Richter, which was converted by Rust after nine minutes.
But the home side took control and ran in three converted tries to take a 14-point lead after 33 minutes.
The homes side scored through flanker Francois Kleinhans, outside centre Hennie Skorbinski and scrumhalf Emile Temperman with flyhalf Sias Ebersohn converting all three tries. But then Rust produced some magic to score the first of his two tries and converting to reduce the deficit to just seven points shortly before halftime. But with the Pumas on the attack just before the whistle, and the Valke trying desperately to keep them at bay, prop Andries Schutte was shown a yellow card as the Valke were warned after numerous infringements. Referee Cwengile Jadezveni had no option but to award a penalty try which Ebersohn converted to give the home side a 14-point halftime advantage.
Despite being a man down, the Valke started the second stanza strongly as they did the first half and scored first through flanker Dwight Pansegrou and the deficit was reduced to seven points as Rust slotted the conversion.
But the hosts burst out of sight as hooker Frankie Herne and then centre Ryan Nell scored with replacement flyhalf Justin van Staden only able to convert Nell's effort.
With the Pumas leading by 19 points midway through the second half, Rust burst through to score in the corner but was unable to convert his second try to leave the visitors trailing by 14 points.
The Pumas extended their lead back out 19 points when left wing Ruwellyn Isbell darted down the touchline to score, which Van Staden converted but the Valke had the last word when their left wing, Etienne Taljaard scored on the stroke of fulltime. The victory moved the Pumas to 29 points, level on points with the Vodacom Blue Bulls but with an inferior points difference and will wait to see who they are drawn against the in last eight.
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