Pumas (rugby team)
Encyclopedia
The Ford Pumas are a South Africa
n rugby union
team that competes in the Premier Division of the 2011 Currie Cup
. Based at Puma Stadium (also known as Johann van Riebeeck Stadium) in Witbank
as well as the Mbombela Stadium
in Nelspruit
, the team draws their players from Mpumalanga Province (formerly known as the South Eastern Transvaal).
The Pumas won the Currie Cup First Division
(the second tier competition) in 2005 and 2009, so earning promotion to the Currie Cup Premier Division.
In 2006 they were coached jointly by Chris Grobler and Danie Gerber
, but failed to win any of their 14 matches.
For their 2010 Currie Cup campaign the Pumas appointed the seasoned Jimmy Stonehouse as coach. http://www.rugby365.com/schools/news/581210.htm 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
. http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/news/100708/Pumas_accept_underdog_tag http://www.planet-rugby.co.za/story/0,25883,9989_6342395,00.html With 11 rounds of the Currie Cup complete, the Pumas were lodged second last on log, having scored two wins over last-placed . http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/results
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.
The Pumas average crowds of 13,000 to home Currie Cup matches.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team that competes in the Premier Division of the 2011 Currie Cup
2011 Currie Cup Premier Division
The 2011 Currie Cup Premier Division was the 72nd season in the competition since it started in 1889 and was contested from July to October 2011...
. Based at Puma Stadium (also known as Johann van Riebeeck Stadium) in Witbank
Witbank
Witbank , also known as eMalahleni is a city situated on the Highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa, within the eMalahleni Local Municipality. The name Witbank is Afrikaans for White Ridge and is named after a white sandstone outcrop where wagon transport drivers rested...
as well as the Mbombela Stadium
Mbombela Stadium
Mbombela Stadium is a newly built, all-seater, 40,929-seat stadium and was one of the ten venues for the FIFA World Cup 2010. It is located on open land six kilometres west of Nelspruit, South Africa, the capital of the Mpumalanga province....
in Nelspruit
Nelspruit
Nelspruit is a city of more than 500,000 people situated in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province . Located on the Crocodile River, Nelspruit lies about west of the Mozambique border and east of Johannesburg. The towns of Nelspruit are Kanyamazane and Pienaar...
, the team draws their players from Mpumalanga Province (formerly known as the South Eastern Transvaal).
The Pumas won the Currie Cup First Division
2009 Currie Cup First Division
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 second tier competition) in 2005 and 2009, so earning promotion to the Currie Cup Premier Division.
In 2006 they were coached jointly by Chris Grobler and Danie Gerber
Danie Gerber
Danie Gerber is a former South African rugby union player, who played for South Africa between 1980 and 1992. Playing mainly at centre, he won only 24 caps for South Africa despite playing internationally for 12 years because of South Africa's sporting isolation caused by apartheid...
, but failed to win any of their 14 matches.
For their 2010 Currie Cup campaign the Pumas appointed the seasoned Jimmy Stonehouse as coach. http://www.rugby365.com/schools/news/581210.htm Though considered the underdogs of the Currie Cup competition, on 27 August 2010 the Pumas beat current champions the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
22-21 at the Mbombela Stadium
Mbombela Stadium
Mbombela Stadium is a newly built, all-seater, 40,929-seat stadium and was one of the ten venues for the FIFA World Cup 2010. It is located on open land six kilometres west of Nelspruit, South Africa, the capital of the Mpumalanga province....
in Nelspruit
Nelspruit
Nelspruit is a city of more than 500,000 people situated in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province . Located on the Crocodile River, Nelspruit lies about west of the Mozambique border and east of Johannesburg. The towns of Nelspruit are Kanyamazane and Pienaar...
. http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/news/100708/Pumas_accept_underdog_tag http://www.planet-rugby.co.za/story/0,25883,9989_6342395,00.html With 11 rounds of the Currie Cup complete, the Pumas were lodged second last on log, having scored two wins over last-placed . http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/results
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.
The Pumas average crowds of 13,000 to home Currie Cup matches.