Pumas undefeated, Griquas and Griffons get first wins in WSL2

The Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women confirmed their credentials as the team to beat in this year’s Pick ‘n Pay Women’s Super League 2 after their 44-22 win over Leopards Women in Potchefstroom on Saturday left them as the only undefeated side in the competition.

The result left the teams in first and second place on the log after three rounds of play while AVBOB Griquas and Griffons Women moved up the ladder with wins over Limpopo Blue Bulls and Valke Women respectively.

Griquas were far too strong for their visitors at Suzuki Park in Kimberley, claiming a runaway 73-15 win, while in Kempton Park, the Valke Women experienced the cruel realities of rugby. A missed conversion in the final play of their match against Griffons resulted in the visitors scraping through 34-33, just a week after the Valke edged Limpopo by a point when a final conversion by their opponents sailed wide.

The Pumas blitzed the Leopards in Potchefstroom, scoring four tries in the opening 20 minutes. It was the usual suspects creating all the carnage. Fullback Alicia Mahlalela dotted down twice in that time, while Megan Guambe and Jibrine Dube also scored. The Leopards rallied well, scoring a converted try and a penalty, before inside centre Pauline Sianga and Guambe added two more to the Pumas’ try tally to lead 34-15 at the break.

The second half proved much more competitive and only three tries were scored in the final 40 minutes. Sianga scored two to claim a hat-trick before Leopards flyhalf, Amzolele Gqola, scored a late try. She converted that for a personal tally of 12 points in the match.

The drama in Kempton Park had the Barnard Stadium crowd on the edge of their seats. They thought their team had done enough when No 8 Noluyanda Mtshweni dotted down for a third time with 43 minutes played in the second half but Evidence Tinoota, who earlier kicked a conversion, pulled it wide and it was the Griffons who could celebrate instead.

The home side started best when flyhalf Aviwe Kaduka scored a try she converted for a 7-0 lead. It became 14-0 after centre Lucia Xosana ran in and Kaduka converted. Griffons had to score next and two quick tries had them traling by two before Mtshweni scored her first try of the match just before the break. Kaduka converted for a 21-12 lead at half-time.

The second half was all Griffons though. They scored three unanswered tries for a 31-21 lead. Mtshweni closed the gap to 31-28 with a try that Tinoota converted.

A crucial call for Griffons, to kick for poles when awarded a penalty, proved the difference in the end as scrumhalf Pinkie Touto's kick was successful and edged them into a 34-28 lead. Mtshweni then scored her third but her team came up short with the missed conversion.

Griquas scored 46 points in the second half of their match against the visiting Limpopo for a massive win, their first of the season.

In all, they scored 12 tries, with wing Maserati Bangaza bagging four and prop Nicole van Wyk getting a rare hat-trick.

Bangaza opened the scoring four minutes in and Van Wyk dotted down five minutes later. Another try, by centre Jennielee van Nel, had the home side cruising at 15-0 after 11 minutes. Limpopo recovered slightly, with Seetja Mmotong getting a try, before Bangaza added a second for a 27-5 halftime lead.

Then followed the 30 minutes of rugby the Suzuki Park crowd has seen from the Griquas Women in recent times.

They scored at regular intervals to stack up their biggest score in a while. Limpopo did score the last try of the match for some consolation, but their season now seems heading to a disaster after three consecutive defeats.

Scores

Leopards Women 22 (15), Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women 44 (34)

Leopards - Tries: Portia Mariquele, Onie Sihlobo, Amzolele Gqola. Conversions: Gqola (2). Penalty: Gqola

Pumas - Tries: Megan Guambe (2), Pauline Sianga (3), Alicia Mahlalela (2), Jibrine Dube. Conversions: Mahlalela (2)

AVBOB Griquas Women 73 (27), Limpopo Blue Bulls Women 15 (5)

Griquas - Tries: Nicole van Wyk (3), Siziphiwe Dubulamanzi, Donishea Cloete, Maserati Bangaza (4), Tyrell Wilson, Jennielee Van Nel, Forgiveness Mashele (2). Conversions: Jean-Marie Owies, Van Nel (3),

Limpopo - Tries: Seetja Mmotong, Mapula Matsimela, Amaka Mabosi.

Valke Women 33 (21), Griffons Women 34 (12)

Valke - Tries: Aviva Kaduka, Lucia Yalezwa Xosana, Noyulanda Mtshweni (3). Conversions: Kaduka (3), Evidence Tinoota.

Griffons - Tries: Tshepiso Mantelile, Thato Rantai (2), Mmadjadji Mohalali, Line Viviers. Conversions: Pinkie Touto (3). Penalty: Touto.