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Witbank - Griquas maintained their unbeaten start to the season as they edged out the Pumas 21-20 (half-time 11-12) in their Vodacom Cup North Section match at the Puma Stadium in Witbank on Saturday.
Griquas moved to three wins from three matches as they outscored the Pumas two tries to one to claim the victory despite 15 points from the boot from the hosts' flyhalf JC Roos.
However, it was a close-run thing for the Griquas who only snatched the win in the 69th minute when their flyhalf Rudi Vogt kicked a late penalty to seal the victory.
With both teams’ sets of forwards cancelling each other out it was the visitor’s backline which gave them the edge as they showed more verve and enterprise than their opponents in the tight contest.
The Pumas, who began the day at the top of the North Section after two wins from three games, jumped out to a 6-0 lead after just eight minutes thanks to two penalties from Roos.
But Vogt narrowed the gap to three points with a 15th minute penalty before the visitors took the lead for the first time, in the 20th minute, when outside centre Jean Stemmet crossed for an unconverted try.
Roos kicked two more penalties as the Pumas moved into a four-point lead but, on the stroke of half-time, Vogt closed the gap to just a single point with his second penalty of the afternoon.
Griquas began the second half in fine style and 10 minutes after the restart they took a lead yet again when flank Marnus Schoeman was bundled over the line for a converted try.
Three minutes later the Pumas scored their only try when right wing Deon Scholtz streaked over for an unconverted score before Roos kicked his fifth penalty as the hosts took a 20-18 lead after 58 minutes.
But the Pumas slipped to a heart-breaking loss when Vogt stepped up to slot the winning penalty kick.
Scorers:
Pumas:
Try: Deon Scholtz
Penalties: JC Roos (5)
Griquas:
Tries Jean Stemmet, Marnus Schoeman
Conversion: Rudi Vogt
Penalties: Vogt (3)
Griquas moved to three wins from three matches as they outscored the Pumas two tries to one to claim the victory despite 15 points from the boot from the hosts' flyhalf JC Roos.
However, it was a close-run thing for the Griquas who only snatched the win in the 69th minute when their flyhalf Rudi Vogt kicked a late penalty to seal the victory.
With both teams’ sets of forwards cancelling each other out it was the visitor’s backline which gave them the edge as they showed more verve and enterprise than their opponents in the tight contest.
The Pumas, who began the day at the top of the North Section after two wins from three games, jumped out to a 6-0 lead after just eight minutes thanks to two penalties from Roos.
But Vogt narrowed the gap to three points with a 15th minute penalty before the visitors took the lead for the first time, in the 20th minute, when outside centre Jean Stemmet crossed for an unconverted try.
Roos kicked two more penalties as the Pumas moved into a four-point lead but, on the stroke of half-time, Vogt closed the gap to just a single point with his second penalty of the afternoon.
Griquas began the second half in fine style and 10 minutes after the restart they took a lead yet again when flank Marnus Schoeman was bundled over the line for a converted try.
Three minutes later the Pumas scored their only try when right wing Deon Scholtz streaked over for an unconverted score before Roos kicked his fifth penalty as the hosts took a 20-18 lead after 58 minutes.
But the Pumas slipped to a heart-breaking loss when Vogt stepped up to slot the winning penalty kick.
Scorers:
Pumas:
Try: Deon Scholtz
Penalties: JC Roos (5)
Griquas:
Tries Jean Stemmet, Marnus Schoeman
Conversion: Rudi Vogt
Penalties: Vogt (3)
