Pukke win local derby

FNB Pukke finished strongly to earn a well-deserved 48-24 Grand Challenge win over neighbours, Impala, in Rustenburg this weekend.

The score was level at 24-24 going into the final quarter, but the Varsity Cup semifinalists upped their game significantly in the last 20 minutes to come away with a crucial victory.

Lock Dirco Rautenbach - back in favour after being dropped during the Varsity Cup - scored an impressive four tries for the Pukke, whilst new captain Theuns Kotzé (pictured) weighed in with a try double and four conversions.

Right-wing SP Marais and inside centre Wouter Watermeyer were the other try-scorers for Pukke, who picked up a few injury worries during the match.

The scorers:

For Impala:
Tries: Jaco Gouws 2, Itumeleng Mogotsi, Lloyd Seleka
Cons: Donovan Arendse 2

For Pukke:
Tries: D Rautenbach 4, Kotzé 2, Marais, Watermeyer
Cons: Kotzé 4

The Pukke team: 15 Theuns Kotzé (captain), 14 SP Marais, 13 Ruan Jacobs, 12 Wouter Watermeyer, 11 Johannes Seerane, 10 Willem Barnard, 9 Janis Terblanche, 8 PJ van Zyl, 7 Jan Rose, 6 Jaco Lötter, 5 Francois Robbertze, 4 Dirco Rautenbach, 3 Stefan Bezuidenhout, 2 BW van Dyk, 1 Dewald Coetzee.
Replacements: 16 Stoffel Duvenhage, 17 Martin Dreyer, 18 Markus Fourie, 19 Siya Mdaka, 20 Andries Mahoney, 21 John Roodt, 22 Dane Johnson.