Pumas (Currie Cup)

Last updated

Pumas
Pumas Rugby Union logo.svg
Full namePumas
UnionMpumalanga Rugby Union
Emblem(s)Puma
Founded1969
Region Mpumalanga Province
Ground(s) Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela (Capacity: 40,929)
Coach(es) Jimmy Stonehouse
Captain(s) Shane Kirkwood
League(s) Currie Cup
2022 Champions
4th on log
Kit left arm Pumasleft17.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body Pumaskit17.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm Pumasright17.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts Canterburyshorts17.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Kit left arm Pumasleft17b.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body Pumaskit17b.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm Pumasright17b.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts Canterburyshorts17.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
2nd kit
Official website
pumas.co.za
Rugby football current event.svg Current season

The Pumas (known as the Airlink Pumas for sponsorship reasons) are a South African rugby union team that competes in the Premier Division of the Currie Cup and the Northern Section of the Vodacom Cup. The team draws their players from Mpumalanga Province (formerly known as the South Eastern Transvaal) and plays at the Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela, having previously also played at the Puma Stadium in Witbank.

Contents

The Pumas are a well supported team throughout Mpumalanga Province, with large fan bases located in Witbank, Middelburg, Ermelo and Mbombela.

History

Formed in 1969 as South Eastern Transvaal, the Pumas are one of the younger unions in the country. The team won the Currie Cup for the first time in 2022. [1]

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 Mbombela. [2] They eventually finished 7th.

Honours

Major Honours

Minor Honours

Current squad

The following players were included in the Pumas squad for the 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division: [4]

Pumas Currie Cup squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain and Bold denotes internationally capped.

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Bulls</span> South African rugby team

    The Blue Bulls is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament and the United Rugby Championship. They are governed by the Blue Bulls Rugby Union and are based at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, Gauteng province.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Free State Cheetahs</span> South African rugby union team

    The Free State Cheetahs, currently named the Toyota Free State Cheetahs due to sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are governed by the Free State Rugby Union and are based at the 48,000 capacity Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. The Cheetahs have won the Currie Cup six times, with five of the wins coming since 2005, including winning the cup three times consecutively from 2005 to 2007. Since the advent of professionalism in rugby union, they have been considered one of South Africa's "Big 5" provincial rugby Unions.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Province (rugby union)</span> Rugby union team based in Cape Town, South Africa

    Western Province is a South African professional rugby union team based in Newlands, Cape Town, that participates in the annual Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup tournaments. Founded in 1883, the team has won multiple titles, a record of 34 Currie Cup titles including the inaugural competition, the Vodacom Cup, the Absa Nite Series, and the Lion Cup.

    The 2006 ABSA Currie Cup season was contested from June through to October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for rugby union clubs in South Africa. The tournament was controversial before it even began, with the Southern Spears saga regarding entry into the Super 14 and Currie Cup continuing.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Currie Cup First Division</span> Domestic rugby union competition

    The 2008 Absa Currie Cup First Division season was contested from 27 June through to 10 October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for provincial rugby union teams in South Africa.

    The 2009 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division season was the 71st season in the competition since it started in 1889. The competition was contested from 10 July through to 31 October.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Currie Cup First Division</span> Domestic rugby union competition

    The 2009 Absa Currie Cup First Division season was contested from 11 July through to 16 October. The Currie Cup is an annual domestic competition for provincial rugby union teams in South Africa.

    The 2010 Absa Currie Cup Premier Division was the 72nd season in the competition since it started in 1889. The competition was contested from 9 July through to 30 October.

    The 2007 Vodacom Cup was the 10th edition of this annual domestic cup competition. The Vodacom Cup is played between provincial rugby union teams in South Africa from the Currie Cup Premier and First Divisions.

    Darron Paul Nell is a South African professional rugby union player who most recently with the Eastern Province Kings. His usual positions are flanker and number 8.

    Limpopo Blue Bulls are a South African rugby union team that are a sub-union of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union and are therefore represented by the Blue Bulls in the annual Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup tournaments. They play out of Polokwane at the Peter Mokaba Stadium and draw players from the entire Limpopo province in South Africa. Between 2013 and 2015, the Limpopo Blue Bulls played as a separate team in the Vodacom Cup competition. Despite their first team not participating in first class rugby since 2015, they still have youth teams that participate in competitions such as the Under-21 and Under-19 Provincial Championships and in the Craven Week and Grant Khomo Week tournaments. They also have a women's team who compete in the South African Rugby Women's First Division.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Torsten van Jaarsveld</span> Namibia international rugby union player

    Torsten George van Jaarsveld is a Namibian professional rugby union footballer. He plays mostly as a hooker or flanker. He currently plays for Pro D2 side Stade Montois.

    Elgar Graeme Watts is a South African professional rugby union player who played for the Boland Cavaliers, Pumas, Free State Cheetahs and Griquas domestically and for the Cheetahs and the Southern Kings in Super Rugby. His usual position is fly-half.

    Tobie Jacques Verwey is a South African professional rugby union player, who most recently played with the Falcons. His regular position is flanker.

    Christian Francois Schoeman is a South African rugby union player. His regular position is fly-half.

    The 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division was the 77th season in the competition since it started in 1889 and was contested from 7 August to 24 October 2015. The tournament was the top tier of South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition.

    Nqubeko Sithembiso Zulu is a South African professional rugby union player, who plays for the Wanderers and the Blue Bulls. His regular position is lock.

    Duwayne Enslin Smart is a South African professional rugby union player, currently playing with the Boland Cavaliers. His regular position is on the wing.

    The 2001 Currie Cup Top 8 series was the top tier of the final stage of the 63rd season of the Currie Cup, South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, since it started in 1889. The competition was known as the Bankfin Currie Cup for sponsorship reasons and this stage was contested from 20 September to 25 September 2001.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Conraad van Vuuren</span> Rugby player

    Jacobus Conradus "Beertjie" van Vuuren is a South African professional rugby union player for the Bulls in Super Rugby, the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Blue Bulls XV in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is tighthead prop.

    References

    1. Schenk, Heinz. "RECAP - Punchy, precise Pumas claim historic first Currie Cup title with 26-19 win over Griquas". Sport. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
    2. "Pumas shock Blue Bulls in Nelspruit". Planet Rugby. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
    3. "PUMAS BEAT WELWITSCHIAS 81 - 8 IN AIRLINK CUP", https://nbcnews.na, 22 May 2024
    4. "The Pumas Rugby Team". Pumas. Retrieved 13 March 2023.