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Stellenbosch - Defending Vodacom Cup champions the Pampas XV fended off a late onslaught by the SWD Eagles when they beat the Southern Cape side by 34-30 at the AF Markotter Stadium here on Saturday.
The Pampas were behind by one point at the break, but scored four of their six tries in a much-improved effort in the last 40 minutes.
What the Argentinean side also proved was that a primary attacking mindset can still be associated with winning rugby.
They very seldom kicked the ball from their own 22 area and found it surprisingly easy to beat the Eagles' defences.
It was, however, with their first adventurous endeavour like that in the first minute that Eagles inside centre Elrich van Vuuren intercepted the ball for the first try of the match.
Van Vuuren made a total contribution of 15 points and he was also instrumental in both Clinton Wagman's tries in the second half.
It took just three minutes for the Pampas to hit back when their eighth man Tomas Leonardi scored from a driving maul.
Flyhalf Benjamin Madero scored in the 24th minute from a chip kick in SWD's 22, and it was only two more penalties from Van Vuuren that gave the visitors a lead at half time.
Just prior to the break, SWD lost their tight head prop, Raol Larson, with a broken leg. That unsettled them in the scrums for the duration of the match, and also reduced the amount of decent ball carriers in the Eagles-side.
Left winger Wagman scored two long distance tries that put SWD in front by 25-15 with about 15 minutes left to play.
They gave away their lead in the last seven minutes when the Pampas wings, Ramiro Moyano and Facundo Barrea, both scored well-constructed backline tries.
Former Boland-lock Grant le Roux scored with two minutes left to play, but SWD missed the conversion and were forced to seek the tryline once more if they were to win.
The Pampas regained possession on the hooter and sealed a well-deserved victory.
Scorers:
Pampas 34 (12): Tries: Tomas Leonard, Benjamin Madero, Tomas Cubelli, Ramiro Moyano, Facundo Barrea. Conversions: Madero, Santiago Iglesias (2). Penalties: Madero.
SWD 30 (13): Tries: Elrich van Vuuren, Clinton Wagman (2), Grant le Roux. Conversions: Van Vuuren (2). Penalties: Van Vuuren (2).
