Pumas whitewash Falcons

Nelspruit - Ten tries from a rampant Pumas side saw them run home 62-0 victors over the Falcons in their Vodacom Cup opener in Nelspruit on Saturday.

Flank Uzair Cassiem was the star of the show as he claimed a hat-trick, although a brace each for prop Vincent Koch and substitute Jaco Bouwer were also standout performances on the day.

Flyhalf Tiaan Marx, who also crossed the whitewash, kicked six of his nine conversion opportunities, while substitute Carl Bezuidenhout missed the final conversion after Bouwer's second try in the 77th minute.

The win for the Pumas left them behind the Sharks XV at the top of the standings, on points difference only, while the reverse for the Falcons left them lying second from bottom.

The game had been delayed by more than 30 minutes due to lightning, and the Falcons had a chance to seize the lead in the very first minute after an infringement by the hosts in their own half.

However, the penalty attempt from flyhalf Wesley Aidan Roberts was wayward, and his team were punished just six minutes later as Koch scored his first.

Cassiem weighed in with his first try four minutes later, and Roberts again had an opportunity to convert a three-pointer soon after, but his ensuing miss proved to be the catalyst for the hosts, as they ran in a further four tries before the interval.

Cassiem got over the line six minutes into the second half to complete his hat-trick, and by that stage it had turned into an exhibition.

Bouwer, who was brought on after half-time, got into the action with a try on the hour mark, and his second three minutes from time came after lock DJ Terblanche had also got his name on the try-scorers' sheet in the 66th minute.