Wellington - The visiting Pumas outclassed the Boland Cavaliers and scored five tries to record an impressive 35-5 (half-time 22-5) victory in the Absa Currie Cup First Division match played at Boland Stadium in Wellington, on Friday.
The Pumas opened the scoring through the boot of flyhalf Carl Bezuidenhout after Zandré Jordaan was penalised for infringing at the ruck.
Jordaan was also shown a yellow card by referee Lourens van der Merwe and had to spend 10 minutes on the touchline. This kick also brought up a century of points for Bezuidenhout in this year’s First Division and he managed the feat in only six games.
This proved to be vital as the Pumas scored two tries while the hosts were reduced to 14 men.
Fullback Coenie van Wyk sold a sublime dummy which allowed him to cross the tryline virtually untouched.
Bezuidenhout added the extras and also created the next try by popping up a perfect pass for the flying wing Rosko Spekman.
Despite the attention of the Boland defenders Spekman pinned his ears back and dotted down to score a superb try. Bezuidenhout was wayward with his conversion attempt and the visitors lead 17-0 after the first quarter.
When big flanker Uzair Cassiem scored the third try of the half for the Pumas the warning bells were starting to go off for Coach Loffie Eloff.
Luckily Bezuidenhout had seemed to suddenly be struggling with his normally accurate goal kicking and at 22-0 the Boland had a faint glimmer of hope.
A superb break by fullback Jacquin Jansen saw the ball shifted and Jordaan atoned for his earlier indiscretion and forced his way over the tryline. Jansen was unable to convert and the deficit remained looming at 22-5.
There was a bit of drama just before halftime as Spekman thought he had scored after a deft grubber by eighthman RW Kember, but the Television Match Official Deon van Blommenstein did not award the try and the score remained 22-5 at the break.
Bezuidenhout continued his fine performance in open play and nimble hands saw him find flank Frankie Herne who scored the fourth try and all-important bonus point try. With the subsequent conversion not being successful the score was 27-5 with barely five minutes gone in the second half.
Backline replacement Tiaan Marx kicked a penalty to extend the score to 30-5 and practically seal the game for the visitors.
When Cassiem went over in the corner for his second try of the afternoon it became about damage control for the Boland.
Both replacement benches had virtually been emptied and the game became a loose affair thereafter. Boland threw the proverbial kitchen sink at the Pumas but this was to no avail as the match ended 35-5 in favour of the visitors.
The Pumas host the Valke next while the Boland will have to regroup before they travel to Welkom to face the Down Touch Griffons.
Scorers:
Boland Cavaliers
Try: Zandré Jordaan
Pumas
Tries: Coenie van Wyk, Rosko Spekman, Uzair Cassiem (2), Frankie Herne
Conversions: Carl Bezuidenhout (2)
Penalties: Carl Bezuidenhout, Tiaan Marx
The Pumas opened the scoring through the boot of flyhalf Carl Bezuidenhout after Zandré Jordaan was penalised for infringing at the ruck.
Jordaan was also shown a yellow card by referee Lourens van der Merwe and had to spend 10 minutes on the touchline. This kick also brought up a century of points for Bezuidenhout in this year’s First Division and he managed the feat in only six games.
This proved to be vital as the Pumas scored two tries while the hosts were reduced to 14 men.
Fullback Coenie van Wyk sold a sublime dummy which allowed him to cross the tryline virtually untouched.
Bezuidenhout added the extras and also created the next try by popping up a perfect pass for the flying wing Rosko Spekman.
Despite the attention of the Boland defenders Spekman pinned his ears back and dotted down to score a superb try. Bezuidenhout was wayward with his conversion attempt and the visitors lead 17-0 after the first quarter.
When big flanker Uzair Cassiem scored the third try of the half for the Pumas the warning bells were starting to go off for Coach Loffie Eloff.
Luckily Bezuidenhout had seemed to suddenly be struggling with his normally accurate goal kicking and at 22-0 the Boland had a faint glimmer of hope.
A superb break by fullback Jacquin Jansen saw the ball shifted and Jordaan atoned for his earlier indiscretion and forced his way over the tryline. Jansen was unable to convert and the deficit remained looming at 22-5.
There was a bit of drama just before halftime as Spekman thought he had scored after a deft grubber by eighthman RW Kember, but the Television Match Official Deon van Blommenstein did not award the try and the score remained 22-5 at the break.
Bezuidenhout continued his fine performance in open play and nimble hands saw him find flank Frankie Herne who scored the fourth try and all-important bonus point try. With the subsequent conversion not being successful the score was 27-5 with barely five minutes gone in the second half.
Backline replacement Tiaan Marx kicked a penalty to extend the score to 30-5 and practically seal the game for the visitors.
When Cassiem went over in the corner for his second try of the afternoon it became about damage control for the Boland.
Both replacement benches had virtually been emptied and the game became a loose affair thereafter. Boland threw the proverbial kitchen sink at the Pumas but this was to no avail as the match ended 35-5 in favour of the visitors.
The Pumas host the Valke next while the Boland will have to regroup before they travel to Welkom to face the Down Touch Griffons.
Scorers:
Boland Cavaliers
Try: Zandré Jordaan
Pumas
Tries: Coenie van Wyk, Rosko Spekman, Uzair Cassiem (2), Frankie Herne
Conversions: Carl Bezuidenhout (2)
Penalties: Carl Bezuidenhout, Tiaan Marx