Pukke claim first win
9 Feb 2009
Pukke managed to register their first win of the 2009 Varsity Cup with a 27-15 win over Shimlas in Bloemfontein.
Pukke were in complete control in the first half, but let the home side back in to the match in the second half when Shimlas scored three tries. However, Pukke were able to dig deep and hold out for a well deserved victory.
The students from the North-West dominated the opening exchanges as they set up camp deep in the Shimlas half and scored the first try of the game through winger Randall April who pounced on a loose pass by Shimlas. Scrumhalf Theuns Kotze added the extras and Pukke were out to a 7-0 lead in just the second minute of the game
Pukke, however, struggled to turn possession into try scoring opportunities. Kotze missed two penalty opportunities before Dewan Eckard slotted a nicely taken drop goal.
After a good period of sustained pressure Pukke finally got their second try of the game through centre Jacques de Kock. Kotza added the two points and Pukker lead 17-0 with the first half drawing to a close.
Kotze scored the first points of the second-half when Shimlas were penalised for playing the ball on the ground.
The home side finally got on the board in the 49th minute when winger Wouter Stieger showed a good step and some blistering pace to finish off a well worked try.
The Free State students scored their second try just three minutes later, this time through centre Cameron Jacobs. Once again, though, Neill Jacobs missed the conversion and Pukke still led by 10.
With twenty minutes some great continuity play saw replacement Willem Britz bag the Shimlas third try. Lionel Cronje then took over the kicking duties, but he could only manage to strike the right-hand upright.
Pukke eventually got back to the game plan of the first half and a great turn over was finished in style by Kotze who sold the Shimlas defenders with a beautiful dummy. The scrumhalf picked himself up and slotted the conversion to give his side a 27-15 win.
In the nights other results, defending champions Maties beat UJ 29-14 in Stellenbosch while Tuks maintained their 100% record with a 39-20 victory over NMMU.
Shimlas - Tries: Wouter Stieger, Cameron Jacobs, Willem Britz.
Pukke – Tries: Randall April, Jacques de Kock, Theuns Kotze. Conversions: Kotze (2). Penalties: Kotze. Drop goal: Dewan Eckard
15 Comments
9 Feb 2009, 20:40 pm
cool!!
9 Feb 2009, 20:41 pm
pukke got an awesome academy..
9 Feb 2009, 20:50 pm
#2 grant10: With this heading I thought we were on for another Luke Watson “thingie” !!
Look I’m an outsider!! what do I know!!
9 Feb 2009, 20:54 pm
#3 carol: I had to think about that one but finally got it…. Pukke/Puke…hehehehehe
9 Feb 2009, 20:58 pm
Congratulations to the pukke – a well deserved win. However, it appears that the Pukke beat the fourth team of the Shimlas by 27-15. 80% of the Free State University’s players play for the Cheetahs (S14; Vodacom cup; U21; U19 ). Surely, then, this Shimla team do not represent the University of the Free State.
This competition, therefore, represents student rugby – and that is all.
It remains important that this competition continues – for the sake of rugby development amongst students.
9 Feb 2009, 21:02 pm
Helloo
9 Feb 2009, 21:06 pm
6# GROOTBLOUSMILE
Lekker om weer ou “tonic” se posts te lees.
9 Feb 2009, 22:03 pm
#5 AP: Just as the Shimlas represent the Cheetahs (from U-19 – senior side), so the Pukke represent the respective Leopards sides, so no excuse there for the Shimlas. Well done Pukke
9 Feb 2009, 22:56 pm
Also the 11th straight win for Pukke over Shimlas….
10 Feb 2009, 02:21 am
# panniepeet: You would think the Cheetah players are currently pre-occupied where as the Leopards may have some spare time…
Having said that, Shimlas had the wood over Pukke for many years and no excuse was ever needed, none should be needed now!
10 Feb 2009, 07:50 am
# grant10: And it is great that the Leopards is in the CC now. The academy guys can now make the step up and the maby after a year or 2, to S14!
10 Feb 2009, 11:44 am
#8 #9 Panniepeet
So what you are suggesting is that Pukke makes the same contribution towards the S14 as the Shimlas!!!
10 Feb 2009, 20:38 pm
I’m not suggesting anything – you mentioned that many Shimlas represent the Cheetahs (S14 down to U-19). All I said was that many Pukke represent all the Leopard sides too and was also not playing in the same match. Common sense, surely.
11 Feb 2009, 12:25 pm
How many players are you referring too from both sides?
11 Feb 2009, 17:12 pm
Current (senior) Leopard side has 13 players from the Pukke – they weren’t in contention when the squad was picked anyway…
All the Leopards and Cheetahs U-19 and upwards were available for selection – here’s an interesting article about the current Pukke Varsity Cup side…:
Die Onder 21-klas van 2008 is besig om ‘n sterk kleim af te steek om die Puk in vanjaar se Varsity Cup te verteenwoordig en nuwe jong bloed in die span in te spuit.
In dié stadium is minstens agt junior spelers van verlede jaar aanspraakmakers om in Puk se groep van 22 ingesluit te word vir die eerste wedstryd op 2 Februarie teen Tukkies.
Voor in die koor is die losskakel WD Botha, wat verlede seisoen reeds Vodacom- en Curriebekerrugby vir die Luiperds gespeel het, asook die veelsydige Cecil Dumont, die senter Trokkie de Kock en die skrumskakel Worsie Kotzé.
Die heelagter Willem Barnard is ook ‘n seker keuse indien hy betyds fiks sal wees. Hy is ‘n vernietegende aanvaller wat onder Rudy Joubert se spelpatroon behoort te gedy.
Voor steek die loskopstut BG Uys ‘n sterk kleim af hoewel die man in die saal Jaco Koch waarskynlik in die nommer-1-trui sal begin.
Die ander voorspeler wat sy stem dik maak is die ses-flank Jaco Lotter, wat veral Saterdag by die koppestamp sy merk gemaak het. Hy en Savvas Nel ding mee om Frikkie Maartens se ses-trui.
Die haker Lourens Botes en die vleuel Andrew van Wyk oefen ook saam met die Varsity Cup-groep.
Die Jong Turke word deur ‘n ervare groep senior spelers aangevul en veral die agttal sal min met verlede jaar se Bulle verskil.
Maartens en die vaskop Flippie Pienaar moet vervang word en Stef Bezuidenhout lyk na die man wat die nommer-3-trui syne sal maak.
Nog een van die verlede seisoen se 2008-klas, die vaskop Aranos Coetzee, sal einde Maart weer beskikbaar wees en Snoepie Coetzee is ook fikser en ligter as verlede jaar.
Die slotte Grant le Roux, Koch, die haker Stoffel Duvenhage, die flank Thabo en die agtsteman en kaptein Willem van der Wal lyk na amperse seker keuses.
Een van 2007 se Onder 21-klas, die senter Wouter Watermeyer is vinnig besig om fiks te word en hy kan vanjaar groot naam maak.
Die Luiperd en Leeu-vleuel Randell April druk ook hard vir ‘n plek in die beginspan.
Die Pukke speel op 2 Februarie in hul eerste Varsity Cup-kragmeting op die Fanie du Toit teen die Tukkies.
No excuses for any of these sides – even on a full-strength Intervarsity, Pukke will wuipe the floor with the Shimlas – as shown in the last 11 games. Same happened when I was at Uni – we lost to the Shimlas 13 years in a row – with our Western Transvaal players like Schutte Bekker, Markus van Greunen, Jannie Brooks, Matthew Proudfoot, Johan Claassen not available for selection and the Shimlas represented by guys like Jannie de Beer, Charl Marais, Hentie Maartens, Jan-Ham van Wyk , the list goes on….. Like I said, no excuses. The Puk Rugby Institute and their system is just so much stronger than any other uni’s rugby system at the moment.
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