Pumas (rugby team)

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Pumas
PUMAS logo.jpg
Full name Pumas
Union Mpumalanga Rugby Union
Founded 1969
Region Mpumalanga Province
Ground(s) Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit (Capacity: 40,929)
Coach(es) Jimmy Stonehouse
Captain(s) Corné Steenkamp
League(s) Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup
2012 Currie Cup First Division 2nd
(Runners-Up)
Official website
www.pumas.co.za
Rugby current event.svg Current season

The Pumas are a South African rugby union team that competes in the First Division of the 2012 Currie Cup. The team draws their players from Mpumalanga Province (formerly known as the South Eastern Transvaal) and plays at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, having previously also played at the Puma Stadium in Witbank.

The Pumas are a well supported team throughout Mpumulanga Province, with large fan bases located in Witbank, Middelburg, Ermelo and Nelspruit. The Pumas average crowds of 13,000 at home Currie Cup matches.

Contents

History [edit]

Formed in 1969 as South Eastern Transvaal, the Pumas are one of the younger unions in the country. The team has never won the Currie Cup.

In 2006, they were coached jointly by Chris Grobler and Danie Gerber, but failed to win any of their 14 matches, finishing last on the log.

They won the Currie Cup First Division (the second tier competition) in 2005 and 2009, both times earning promotion to the Currie Cup Premier Division.

For their 2010 Currie Cup campaign, the Pumas appointed the seasoned Jimmy Stonehouse as coach. Though considered the underdogs of the Currie Cup competition, on 27 August 2010 the Pumas beat current champions the Blue Bulls 22–21 at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.[1] They eventually finished 7th.

Current squad [edit]

2013 Pumas squad:[2]

Props

Hookers

Locks

 

Loose Forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

 

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

Captain Denotes team captain, Injury icon 2.svg Denotes that a player is unavailable indefinitely due to injury

In for 2013 Vodacom Cup season [edit]

In for 2013 Currie Cup season [edit]

Out for 2013 Vodacom Cup season [edit]

Out for 2013 Currie Cup season [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Pumas shock Blue Bulls in Nelspruit". Planet Rugby. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2013. 
  2. ^ "2013 Pumas Vodacom Cup squad". SARU. Retrieved 28 February 2013. 
  3. ^ a b c d "Watermeyer word 'n Puma" (in Afrikaans). SupaRugby. 3 Oct 2012. Retrieved 3 Oct 2012. 
  4. ^ a b c Bester, André (25 Sep 2012). "Espags terug by Pumas" (in Afrikaans). suparugby.com. Retrieved 25 Sep 2012. 
  5. ^ a b "Jaja, nog nuwe Pumas" (in Afrikaans). SupaRugby. 5 Nov 2012. Retrieved 5 Nov 2012. 
  6. ^ a b c d Bester, André (10 Oct 2012). "Groot haker-skuiwe by Pumas" (in Afrikaans). SupaRugby. Retrieved 10 Oct 2012. 
  7. ^ "Specman 'n Puma". suparugby.com. 5 Nov 2012. Retrieved 5 Nov 2012. 
  8. ^ Gerber, Jeremy (14 May 2013). "Kabamba kaptein". Die Son (in Afrikaans). Media24. Retrieved 15 May 2013. 
  9. ^ Bester, André (21 January 2013). "Puma-kaptein tree uit". SupaRugby. Retrieved 21 January 2013. 

External links [edit]