Publications
Partners
The Pumas have now won three games on the trot and, pending the game between Griquas and the Limpopo Blue Bulls, should end the weekend at the top of the log in the northern section.
The Griffons threw everything at the Pumas in front of their home crowd and the result was an entertaining game of running rugby. The visitors come out on top purely because their ability to look after the ball was better than the hosts.
The Griffons looked promising on the attack early on, but good defence by the Pumas robbed them of any early points. The Griffons also made the mistake of throwing the ball around at times which led to the Pumas scoring the first points of the game.
Flanker Uzair Cassiem scored as a result of sloppy play by the Griffons when flyhalf Louis Strydom threw the ball backwards without looking, right into the arms of Cassiem, who burst over.
Pumas flyhalf JC Roos kicked the conversion and added a penalty to give the visitors an early lead of ten points.
In the 23rd minute, the Pumas struck another blow, with captain and flank Corn Steenkamp scoring at the back of a rolling maul which had the Griffons on the back foot from the start.
Winger Trompie Pretorius was the third try scorer for the Pumas, jotting down 10 minutes from half time after the visitors again found gaps in the Griffons' defence. Roos converted the second and third tries to give the Pumas a cushion of 24 points.
The bonus point for the Pumas came in the final minutes before half time with centre Dewald Pretorius scoring after some good attacking play by the visitors.
When Springbok sevens player and wing Ruwellyn Isbel jotted down on the stroke of half time, Roos missed his first conversion, but the Pumas still lead half-time by 36-0.
The Pumas started the second half with a second good try from Cassiem after another defensive lapse by the Griffons. Roos converted in what was destined to be a very one-sided second 40 minutes.
Trompie Pretorius underlined the fact when he scored in the corner for his second try of the afternoon. Isbel also scored his second with Roos finally converting for a personal tally of 17 points.
Replacement back Tertius Maarman scored for the Griffons near the end, but it had little effect on a convincing performance by the Pumas.
Replacements Bernardo Botha and Brian Shivangu added two more tries, underlining the Pumas dominance.
Scorers:
Pumas
Tries: Uzair Cassiem (2), Corné
Steenkamp, Trompie Pretorius (2), Dewald Pretorius, Ruwellyn Isbel (2),
Bernardo Botha, Brian Shivangu
Conversions: JC Roos (7), Justin van Staden
Penalties: Roos
Griffons
Try: Tertius Maarman
