Pumas let Sharks off the hook
THE Pumas missed a golden opportunity to record an unprecedented Currie Cup double over the Sharks when they let them get out of jail yesterday.
On the basis of their five Currie Cup matches, the Sharks will be fortunate to get to the play-offs. They are a young team but not very good.
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach’s impact was evident in his precise tactical kicking. In the 15th minute his quick snipe and offload put lanky Wandile Mjekevu into space. The latter outstripped the cover defence and dotted down in the right corner.
Mjekevu went from hero to villain when his loose midfield pass was the origin of the CHARGING: Sharks’ Lionel Cronje on the move during the Currie Cup match against the Pumas yesterday Pumas’ first try, by Marius Coetzer in the 23rd minute.
Referee Marius van der Westhuizen had an interesting game; he wasn’t harsh on either team but the loosehead props bore the brunt of his calls, with Dale Chadwick and Fourie both penalised.
Young prop Thomas du Toit earned a penalty with his first scrum in the second half in his better loosehead position. He also set up the Sharks’ second
Corne try by Paul Jordaan in the 45th minute with a massive tighthead on a seven-man Pumas scrum after Pumas hooker Jacques Momberg was yellowcarded two minutes earlier for an accidental stamp.
The hosts were guilty of general untidiness at the breakdown, which came back to haunt them in the 55th minute when JW Bell scored after Bernado Botha capitalised on a messy Sharks ruck.
Justin van Staden’s 66thminute long-range penalty put the Pumas 26-17 ahead and seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Sharks.
The hosts had other ideas and struck back with Mjekevu’s second try four minutes later, and Joe Pietersen nudged them into the lead with a 75th-minute penalty.
It proved to be enough as Van Staden’s attempted drop goal was charged down.