Armentum to take it one step further?

Goal met, now for the final.

This is the state of affairs for Huis Armentum after topping the log in the Southern group of the 2009 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships.

Armentum kept their unbeaten record in tact when they picked up their third consecutive bonus-point victory with a 29-0 win over the Barbarians from NMMU on Monday.

Armentum will now face Maroela - from Tuks - in a home semifinal at Shimla Park on Monday, March 23 (kick-off 7pm). Maroela, last year's beaten finalists, ended second in the Northern section.

According to Armentum captain Dedrik Pretorius, their initial goal was to end first in their pool to enable them a home play-off.

"After the Cobras match we knew a win in Port Elizabeth would guarantee us a semifinal in Bloemfontein," he told varsitycup.co.za.

"So, we basically just wanted to win - no matter the final score. It was a realistic goal we set ourselves at the beginning of the season - to finish first in our pool - and we achieved it."

Pretorius also praised his players for keeping the Barbarians - themselves no slouches - scoreless. Armentum have now conceded only 29 points in their three league encounters.

"I won't say they were poor on attack. We really worked hard on our defence last week as they were to be the strongest opposition in our group," he said.

For Armentum, their set-pieces were the most pleasing aspect of the 'Baa-baas' match.

"I would say it was our best performance yet, although we still need to make some small adjustments to our defence pattern," said the skipper.

Pretorius, a fine flank forward who is just as effective in the lock position, says they have now settled on a team - their strongest XV - after some upheaval within the squad.

"We lost some great players (who weren't eligible to play for Armentum anymore), but the guys who came in all performed just as well," he said.

About their opponents in the semi's, Pretorius said: "I've heard they've been together, as a squad, for three years now, which is pretty much the same for us.

"But we are not focusing too much on them," he added. "Sometimes it can become dangerous if you focus too much on your opponents. We simply want to force our game down on them and concentrate on what we need to do."

By Ruan Bruwer