Pumas (rugby team)

The Pumas 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.

This article is about the South African provincial rugby union team. For the Argentine national rugby team (nicknamed Los Pumas), see Argentina national rugby union team.

Phakisa Pumas
Full namePumas
UnionMpumalanga Rugby Union
Emblem(s)Puma
Founded1969
RegionMpumalanga Province
Ground(s)Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit (Capacity: 40,929)
Director of RugbyJimmy Stonehouse
Coach(es)Jimmy Stonehouse
Captain(s)Ryan Nell
League(s)Currie Cup
20197th
Team kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.pumas.co.za
Current season

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

History

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 Mbombela.[1] They eventually finished 7th.

Honours

The team's major tournament wins include the Currie Cup First Division in 2005, 2009 and 2013, the Vodacom Cup in 2015 and the Rugby Challenge in 2018.

Current squad

The following players were included in the Pumas squad for the 2019 Currie Cup Premier Division:[2]

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.

References
  1. "Pumas shock Blue Bulls in Nelspruit". Planet Rugby. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  2. "Squad: Phakisa Pumas". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
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