On the cusp of winning back-to-back Currie Cup titles, head coach Jimmy Stonehouse says support for the Pumas and their attractive brand of rugby is growing.
Last season’s fairy-tale winners of rugby’s oldest competition, the Lowvelders are determined to defy expectations once again and retain their crown when they face the Free State Cheetahs on Saturday.
The men from Mpumalanga earned their spot in the 2023 final with a win against the Sharks in Durban last week, after finishing third at the end of the league phase.
They kicked off their title defence with a 63-15 mauling of the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus, silencing those who doubted whether the Pumas could repeat their 2022 triumph.
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Speaking on the eve of this weekend’s decider in Bloemfontein, Stonehouse told media: “In the past, when all the big teams played us here in Mbombela and we opened the gates for the kids, they ran to the Bulls and the Stormers. Nowadays, when you open the gates they run to the Pumas.
“It’s just amazing what brand is being created down here. I want to say thank you to the people, and to our sponsors, who are going to send a bus down [to Bloem] with spectators.
“It’ll be the same as last year in Kimberley against Griquas, you only see that small pink circle of fans in the middle of the orange and hopefully they can create the vibe like they did last year.”
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The 59-year-old, who has made waves by saying that the Pumas deserve another tournament to play in, has also warned his troops not to buy-in to the narrative that they are playing for one of South Africa’s minnows.
“I told the players they must stop with that ‘small union’ talk, because you set yourself back mentally thinking everyone is better than you,” he added.
“Yes, we have less money and less competitions to play in, but if you just look at the Cheetahs – Tapiwa Mafura, Daniel Maartens, Jeandre Rudolph, Marne Coetzee – they’re all Pumas and playing EPCR. The guys who are with me, it’s just a matter of time and then half of them will be with a big union.
“So, I’ve got them to stop talking about being at a smaller union, because when you go to a bigger union you’re still the same player.”
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