Pampas tackling sinks the Golden Lions |
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March 4 - Outstanding defence and aggressive counter-rucking helped the Pampas XV to a tight 15-9 win against the Golden Lions in a Vodacom Cup match at Coca-Cola Park on Friday.
The Pampas XV were outplayed in the possession stakes and lacked discipline, especially at the breakdown where they were heavily penalised. The Lions also had a surfeit of territory.
They made up for it with some aggressive tackling that kept the Lions at bay and also provided the winners with turnovers at crucial moments. And, in true Pumas tradition, they scrummed well and also used turnover possession well to outscore the hosts by two tries to nil. The Lions were also too often guilty of not arriving at the breakdown in numbers which cost them good possession.
The first came immediately after Lions flyhalf André Pretorius had put his side 3-0 ahead with a third-minute penalty. From the restart, the Pampas forwards mauled to within feet of the Lions’ line before No 8 Leonardo Senatore went over.
The second try showed what these Pumas could be capable of with possession. From a turnover ball 90 metres away, scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli kicked downfield. It bounced well and right wing Mauro Cumuzzi did some evasive running before passing to fellow wing Juan Imhoff.
The left winger showed his IRB Sevens skills as he evaded four Lions defenders on his way to the tryline.
Flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez succeeded with his only kick of the day to put the Pampas XV 12-3 in front with 25 minutes gone. After 43 minutes Pretorius kicked the first of two penalties (12-9)
Reserve kicker Santiago Iglesias’s 71st-minute penalty put the pressure on the Lions to score a try which they couldn’t do.
Scorers:
Lions: Penalties: André Pretorius (3).
Pampas XV: Tries: Leonardo Senatore, Juan Imhoff. Conversion: Nicolas Sanchez. Penalty: Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias.
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