By Lucky Maree
It was always possible that the Blue Bulls could run away with the less-experienced Pumas from Nelspruit but nobody told the men from Nelspruit.
After 13 minutes, the Pumas score a try when Eduan Swart goes over in the corner, but the Bulls respond almost immediately when Mihlali Mosi scores immediately and until the 26th minute the scores remain locked at 8-8.
But then the Pumas turn on the heat.
Three tries by Giovan Snyman, Sebastian de Klerk and Jade Stighling give the Pumas a 8-27 lead at halftime.
The Bulls come out fighting, attacking the Pumas try line, but the Pumas pounce on a loose ball and run the entire length of the field for Devon Williams to score under the posts.
The Bulls players are just so flat, so tired. Will they wake up? With 30 minutes to go they are facing a 28 point deficit.
But the best is yet to come – for the Pumas that is. Devon Williams, Eduan Swart and Andre Fouche score while the Bulls run around as if blindfolded – wondering where the ball is.
For a full minute very little happens – until Morne Steyn passes a perfectly good pass, but there is nobody to accept the pass.
Diego Appolis says thank you very much, scoops up the loose ball and scores under the poles.
Francois Kleinhans runs through three lame attempts at attack and goes over for yet another seven-pointer.
With 15 minutes to go, the Bulls splutter to life and launch a seven-phase attack, but nothing comes from it.
With ten minutes to go Diego Appolis scores. By now the Bulls are 55 points adrift.
Given the scoreline, it is easy to think that the Bulls fielded their fifth team but, no. Cornal Hendricks, Sbu Nkosi. Morne Steyn, Lionel Mapoe are only some of the names you expect to see leading the charge – but they are seldom seen.
The score through Cornal Hendriks is solid, but nowhere near any sort of consolation for the men in blue.
Pumas coach Jimmy Stonehouse is a former Mister Universe runner up and he has the biceps to prove it. He loves the game, he accepts no offers to coach anywhere else, and he enjoys winning.
Last year he ended all talk about the Currie Cup becoming irrelevant when he famously said, “The Currie Cup does not belong in a museum.” Up in the coach’s box, he couldn’t stop laughing. Stonehouse and the boys in pink will have a great week back in Nelspruit.
Blue Bulls (2 tries) 15-63 (9 tries) Airlink Pumas
Picture above: Jimmy Stonehouse. The man who makes magic happen at the Pumas.
Image source: Twitter
