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May 20 - The Pampas XV are Vodacom Cup champions for 2011 after they secured a clinical 14-9 victory over the Vodacom Blue Bulls at the Profert Olen Park stadium in Potchefstroom on Friday night.
The Argentineans boasted the superior scrum and dominated the breakdown, controlled most facets of the match and were never really threatened by the defending champions from Pretoria. The final yielded only one try which was scored by Pampas XV winger Agustin Gosio who ran in his eighth five-pointer of the competition. Gosio ended the competition as the second-leading try-scorer behind fellow teammate Juan Imhoff and DHL Western Province winger JJ Engelbrecht who topped the Vodacom Cup try-scoring chart with 10 five-pointers each.
The other points scored by the Pampas XV in Friday evening’s final came via the boot of Nicolas Sanchez who kicked two penalties and Santiago Iglesias who added one penalty. The Vodacom Blue Bulls’ points were scored by flyhalf Maritz Boshoff who kicked three penalties during the second half.
Sanchez opened the scoring early in the first half before Gosio dived in to score his try which ensured that the hosts enjoyed an 8-0 lead during the first half. Sanchez kicked his second three-pointer of the game just before the break to hand the Argentineans an 11-0 half time lead.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls’ first points of the match were scored in the 50th minute when Boshoff successfully slotted the first of three penalty kicks in the second half (11-3). The Pampas XVs fought back and stretched their lead to 13-3 when Iglesias kicked his first penalty of the evening.
Boshoff went on to convert two further penalty kicks which put pressure on the Pampas XV to defend their five-point lead during the closing stages of the match. However the Argentineans, due to their tigerish defensive attitude, held on and secured their 11th consecutive victory of the competition and claim their maiden Vodacom Cup title.
Scorers: Pampas XV: Try: Agustin Gosio; Penalties: Nicolas Sanchez (2), Santiago Iglesias. Vodacom Blue Bulls: Penalties: Maritz Boshoff (3).
Vodacom Cup Leading Points’ Scorers (2011):
Lionel Cronje - DHL Western Province
Marnitz Boshoff - Vodacom Blue Bulls
Nicolas Sanchez - Pampas XV
Louis Strydom - Toyota Free State Cheetahs
Coenie van Wyk - Ford Pumas
Willie Le Roux - Boland Cavaliers
Rudi Vogt - GWK Griquas
Tiaan van Wyk - Tasol Solar Griffons
Santiago Iglesias - Pampas XV
Kyle Hendricks - Valke
Vodacom Cup – Leading Try-scorers:
JJ Engelbrecht - DHL Western Province - 10
Juan Imhoff - Pampas XV - 10
Agustin Gosio - Pampas XV - 8
Kobus de Kock - The Sharks XV - 7
Howard Noble - SWD Eagles - 7
Wesley Wilkins - GWK Griquas - 7
Thabang Molefe - Tasol Solar Griffons - 6
Wilmaure Louw - GWK Griquas - 6
Mark Richards - Sharks XV - 6
Joaquin Tuculet - Pampas XV - 6
Vodacom Cup Final – Additional stats:
Vodacom Cup Winners:
1998 - Griquas
1999 - Golden Lions
2000 - Free State Cheetahs
2001 - Blue Bulls
2002 - Golden Lions
2003 - Golden Lions
2004 - Golden Lions
2005 - Griquas
2006 - Valke
2007 - Griquas
2008 - Blue Bulls
2009 - Griquas
2010 - Blue Bulls
2011 - Pampas XV
Issued by SARU Communications
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