Pukke nail down Club Champs spot

FNB Pukke, with captain and star No.8 Willem van der Wal back in the mix, recorded a 36-12 Grand Challenge win over Vaal Reefs at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom.

The home side scored five tries on the night, with Van der Wal grabbing one himself and replacement back Bom Samaai scoring a try double.

Van der Wal's fellow forwards, flanker Savvas Nel and lock Dirco Rautenbach, also crossed the whitewash as the reigning National Club champions romped to yet another Grand Challenge victory.

Flyhalf Cecil Dumont, restored his more accustomed No.10 shirt this week, landed four conversions and one penalty for a personal points tally of 11.

Of course, Pukke beat Vaal Reefs 22-8 in an earlier Grand Challenge clash this season, but this victory has seen the Men from Potch nail down their spot at the 2009 National Club Championships at Tukkies in September - first job done for the defending champions.

Pukke's scorers:
Tries: Bom Samaai 2, Willem van der Wal, Savvas Nel, Dirco Rautenbach
Cons: Cecil Dumont 4
Pen: Dumont

The Pukke team: 15 Barné Viljoen, 14 Willem Barnard, 13 Wouter Watermeyer, 12 Trokkie de Kock, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Cecil Dumont, 9 Andries Mahoney, 8 Willem van der Wal (captain), 7 Nelis Nel, 6 Savvas Nel, 5 Francois Robbertze, 4 Dirco Rautenbach, 3 Stefan Bezuidenhout, 2 Stoffel Duvenhage, 1 Jaco Koch.
Replacements: 16 Snoepie Coetzee, 17 Deon Koen, 18 Strand Kruger, 19 Jaco Lotter, 20 Chris Erasmus, 21 Wentsley Scott, 22 Bom Samaai.

Head coach: Rudy Joubert