Hooker Mark Pretorius scored a hat-trick of tries as the Pumas secured a resounding 51-15 win over the Blue Bulls in Nelspruit on Friday night. CRAIG LEWIS reports.
The embattled Bulls have spoken extensively about a turnaround plan taking place at Loftus, with John Mitchell this week taking over from ousted former coach Nollis Marais, but this was nothing short of a horror performance.
Three Bulls players were yellow-carded during the course of this error-riddled contest, while the Pumas dominated proceedings through their powerful lineout drive to clinch an emphatic victory that may well have ended any playoff hopes for the Pretoria-based side.
The Bulls’ performance was plagued with ill-discipline and basic errors, which enabled the Pumas to open up a commanding 22-10 lead at the break.
Two tries – scored by Thembelani Bholi and Stefan Ungerer – came in the final 10 minutes of the first half at a time when Kefentse Mahlo was in the sin bin after repeated team infringements.
With the Pumas gaining good reward through their effective lineout drive, they had opened the scoring when Pretorius first powered over from the back of a driving maul in the 11th minute.
The only meaningful response from the Bulls came in the 33rd minute when scrumhalf André Warner finished off a well-worked try, but it was one of the few highlights in an utterly forgettable display from the visitors.
Matters only went from bad to worse for the Bulls when Pumas prop Kwezi Mona scored soon after the restart, while replacement Jano Venter was then yellow-carded for a tip tackle.
From that penalty, the Pumas kicked the ball to the 22m mark and launched another powerful maul that saw Pretorius barge over for his second try. It sent the hosts into an unassailable 34-10 lead with just over half an hour to play.
From there, this horror contest for the Bulls quickly degenerated into a nightmare as lock Ruben van Heerden was next to be sent to the sin bin for another dangerous tackle, with Pretorius powering over for his third try almost immediately after.
Ruwellyn Isbell and Frank Herne piled on the punishment with two further tries for the Pumas before full time, with Warrick Gelant scoring a mere consolation five-pointer for the Bulls.
Pumas – Tries: Mark Pretorius (3), Thembelani Bholi, Stefan Ungerer, Kwezi Mona, Ruwellyn Isbell, Frank Herne. Conversions: Kobus Marais (3), Gerrit Smith. Penalties: Marais.
Blue Bulls – Tries: André Warner, Warrick Gelant. Conversion: Joshua Stander. Penalty: Stander.
Pumas – 15 Gerrit Smith, 14 JP Lewis, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Hennie Skorbinski (c), 11 Ruwellyn Isbell, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Francois Kleinhans, 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Thembelani Bholi, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Stefan Willemse, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Mark Pretorius, 1 Kwezi Mona.
Subs: 16 Frank Herne, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Cameron Lindsay, 19 Chris Cloete/Brian Shabangu, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Reynier van Rooyen, 22 Kobus Marais.
Blue Bulls – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Dries Swanepoel, 12 JT Jackson, 11 Kefentse Mahlo, 10 Tony Jantjies, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Nic de Jager (c), 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Boom Prinsloo, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Abongile Nonkontwana, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Lizo Gqoboka.
Subs: 16 Edgar Marutllule, 17 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 18 Clyde Davids, 19 Jano Venter, 20 Piet van Zyl, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Johnny Kotze.
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
