SWD Eagles coach Johann Lerm said his team will go into Friday’s First Division Final against the Pumas in Witbank as underdogs.
The Pumas, who ended the season in first position on the log following their 31-18 victory over the Mighty Elephants, last Friday, has not conceded a defeat at home yet. But despite this, Lerm is optimistic of his team’s chances to secure the coveted title.
“I do prefer to be the underdog, but we also have a surprise or two for our opponents in store,” said the SWD Eagles coach.
Lerm has selected the same starting team that defeated the Griffons 31-18 in last weekend’s First Division semifinal for Friday night’s finale.
Experienced players such as Wayne Bennett, Gaffie du Toit and Wickus Harmse have been selected on the bench for Friday’s Final.
“It is also just fair to give the players that have been in such good form last weekend another run,” he added.
Meanwhile Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse has changed his centres and loose-forward combinations in preparations of Friday’s First Division Final against the SWD Eagles.
Former Blue Bulls Under-21 captain Pieter Meyer is afford his first start of the season and will replace Corné Steenkamp, who is relegated to the bench. Doppies le Roux and Jaco Bouwer will form the rest of the loose forward trio for the hosts.
Stonehouse has also selected veteran Hyron Thyse at inside centre with Shaun Venter shifting to outside centre.
The rest of the backline will see the likes of MJ Mentz, who recently signed on with the Springbok Sevens, and wings Braam Pretorius and Allistair Kettledas, included the starting team.
“There will be pressure on the players to perform with this game being a Final, but I am sure the guys will be ready and up for it,” said Stonehouse.
“They’ve consistently performed well this season and hopefully the guys will carry that form into the final.”
Teams:
Pumas: 15 MJ Mentz, 14 Braam Pretorius, 13 Shaun Venter, 12 Hyron Thyse, 11 Allistair Kettledas, 10 Valentine van Wyk, 9 Jacques Coetzee, 8 Doppies le Roux, 7 Pieter Meyer, 6 Jaco Bouwer, 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Eduan van der Walt, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Ronnie Uys.
Replacements: 16 Dee-Jay Terblanche, 17 Dawie Steyn, 18 Savage van Heerden, 19 Corné Steenkamp, 20 Martin Sithole, 21 Juan Visser, 22 Ashwin Scott.
SWD Eagles: 15 Bevin Fortuin (captain), 14 Norman Nelson, 13 Bobby Joubert, 12 Isak Saayman, 11 Baldwin McBean, 10 Ricardo Croy, 9 Jandré Blom, 8 Jody Burch, 7 Jacques Engelbrecht, 6 Victor Joubert, 5 Henry Grimes, 4 Giant Mtyanda, 3 Tiaan de Kock, 2 Junior Leota, 1 Jaco Terblanche.
Replacements: 16 Wayne Bennett, 17 Brood van der Westhuizen, 18 Wickus Harmse, 19 Wikus Liebenberg, 20 Dougie Hellmuth, 21 Gaffie du Toit, 22 Joe Breytenbach.
Date: Friday, October 16
Venue: Pumas Stadium, Witbank
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Phillip Bosch, Stuart Berry
TMO: Gerrie Coetzee
Article courtesy of Rugby 365
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11 Allistair Kettledas
18 Savage van Heerden
17 Brood van der Westhuizen 😆
@wpw (Comment 1) : Brood played a game or 2 for WP.Just like TANK lanning.
GO EAGLES
how can you not support a team containing a Giant Mtyanda!
Go Eagles
@robdylan (Comment 3) : Scored a toit intercept last week.Why am I still at work?
anybody keeping an eye on a score?
@rekinek (the battle has begun…) (Comment 5) :
Kick-off in 7minutes time.
it is not on Arab TV. 🙁
I will be following online though
I can’t find it online.
Eagles 3 – 0 Pumas
Penalty by Croy.
not sure on the timing
20minutes
Eagles 10 – 9 Pumas
Pumas 15 – Eagles 9 / 23min
Pumas 21 – Eagles 9 / 38min
Pumas seem to be running away with this.
Altitude? it’s only the 1st half.
Pumas playing tight game – starving Eagles of posession. Methinks it is mor attitude than altitude.
If Pumas score a try next then they may as well start engraving their name on the trophy.
Did they forget to start the 2nd half? 😉
Pumas 28 – Eagles 12 / 57 min
Pumas 33 – Eagles 12 / 62 min
Think the engraver is doing the “a” in Pumas already
@diablo (Comment 17) :
Pumas 40 – Eagles 12 / 73 min
I hear strains of “Aida” in the background – some fat lady singing ❓ 😛
Pumas 40 – 12 Eagles
75min
Game Over IMO
@diablo (Comment 19) : 🙂
Pumas 40 – 19 Eagles / Kan amper nie glo nie 😯
Pumas 47 – 19 Eagles FT 🙂
Well done Pumas!!!
Thanks for the updates Diablo. 😉
You’re welcome 😛
Well done Pumas, great game
If Pumas take out Boland, there will only be two coastal 2 coastal teams left in the Premier part of the Currie Cup.
So come on SWD take out the leopards and keep the numbers up!
Watched most of this game. Pumas left many points out there, the score could have easilly have been closer to 60.
Pumas have a very potent scrum and look a well drilled side.
Take a bow Jimmy Stonehouse.
I fear that Boland will not be able to maintain their premier division status.
@Salmonoid (Comment 30) : and yet the Pumas lost every single Premier Division game two years ago…
there is a mistake in a title – the numbers shou;d be swopped.
Well done Pumas – now take our Boland – we’ve seen enough of them not doing much
and maybe we’ll have excuse to go to witbank :-))
@robdylan (Comment 31) :
New administration, new coach.
Pumas of 2/3 years ago was a shambles, much like Boland at the moment.
@rekinek (the battle has begun…) (Comment 32) :
I want Boland to win for the same reason.
I get a chance to see the Sharks, u21s to play and take a Friday afternoon off. 😎
@Salmonoid (Comment 34) : will see who gets lucky 😆
@robdylan (Comment 31) :
Dont expect anything to change if they get promoted. The same can be said for Boland, Eagles, Leopards.
As soon as they show any promise then they will be pillaged by the big boys.
@rekinek (the battle has begun…) (Comment 35) :
Actually its a win win for me, I have a very soft spot for the Pumas and would not mind them going through and doing well.
@Salmonoid (Comment 37) :
Damn it, I also have a soft spot for the Boland!!!!
Maybe I will just sit back, put my feet up and let them take care of themselves.
@Salmonoid (Comment 38) : good idea. not like we can do anything else.
@Salmonoid (Comment 36) : true. even griquas seem to be affected now . looks like mokoena is going to lions. if it wouldn’t be for abundance of good scrummies Pretorius would be on his way as well.
I Though the Pumas won ❓
@JarsonX (Insomniac) (Comment 40) : they did
Curriecup Promotion/Relegation game between Leopards and SWD from Potchefstroom
SWD start the game with the kick-off
Penalty to SWD, its over and they lead 3 – 0. Go Eagles!! 😀
Another penalty to the Eagles on the halfway line
Ricardo Croy converts and the Eagles lead 6-0
Leopards score!
6-5 conversion to follow
Conversion missed. Eagles still lead 6-5
Penelty to the eagles. Great line kick. Line-out to the eagles 10m out
Eagles knock the ball on. Leopards ball
Another try for the Leopards in the corner by Damas.
Conversion missed. Leopards lead 12-6
Eagles get a penalty almost straight away and take the 3 points to get the score up to 12-9 for the leopards
3rd try to the leopards
Conversion over and the Leopards extend their lead. Score now 19-9
Leopards score their bonus point try under the posts from their own 22.
Cecil Du Mond converts and Leopards now lead 26-9
Joubert scores for the eagles and the conversion is over. Score now 26-16 to the Leopards
The halftime whistle goes. 26-16 to the Leopards
And the Leopards kick off to get the 2nd half going
Another penalty to the Leopards and they now lead 29=16
Penalty to the Leopards, they extend their lead. 32-16
Another penalty to the leopards and they will go for posts again.
The kick is over 35-16
20 minutes to go
Penalty to the eagles in front of the poles leopards tryline, they tap and go
And the Eagles score under the poles. The conversion is over. The score now 35-23 to the leopards
Penalty to the Leopards on the halfway line for a high tackle.
Dumond kicks for poles but misses, the score stays 35-23 to the leopards
Leopards might have scored, waiting for TMO decision
Try scored 40-23 the leopards lead
The conversion is over. 42-23
Eagle score and convert, score now 42-30
But the leopards hit straight back with a try. Conversion missed. The score now 47-30
And now the eagles score again. Their bonus point try.
The conversion is over. 47-37
Only 2 minutes to go.
Can the eagles score again to get another bonus point for losing with less than 7 points
Yes they can they score in the corner. 47-42
And a yellow card is awarded to a leopards player
The conversion is missed. 47-42 to the leopards
The final time whistle goes with the leopards winning the game 47-42
Great come-back by the eagles though to get 2 bonus points out of the game!
@mbayshark (Comment 84) : Now this was very clever Mbay I have my work cut out for me to catch you up now very Clever, but the Challenge is not over yet.!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) : Have you joined Rugbyzone its great you get all the rugby shows plus the games in full sans the adverts!!
@rekinek (the battle has begun…) (Comment 32) : Not sure I would ever want to Go to Wit
bank
@Salmonoid (Comment 36) : I agree these guys just don’t have the cash to take on these boys, plus everybody who is worth contracting is already taken!!
Is this a double header, the Eagles did well to come back though.
@Whindy (Comment 85) : Morning Whindy 🙂
@Whindy (Comment 89) : Yes its a double header, they are playing the second game next week.
@Whindy (Comment 89) : They are playing a mini log, so bonus points for 4 tries, loosing with 7 or less and point difference counts.
@Whindy (Comment 89) : Pumas to play Boland in Witbank and Eagles to play Leopards in George.