The Southern Kings kicked off their second consecutive year in Super Rugby Saturday against the Jaguares from Argentina on Saturday 25 February. The Kings came into the home match looking to equal the previous year’s 29-22 winning performance against the Jaguares in Port Elizabeth.
The Southern Kings kicked off their second consecutive year in Super Rugby Saturday against the Jaguares from Argentina on Saturday 25 February. The Kings came into the home match looking to equal the previous year’s 29-22 winning performance against the Jaguares in Port Elizabeth.
The match started off with poor discipline, as both teams traded penalties in the opening minutes. The Jaguares, however, proved to be the more ill-disciplined side, resulting in the Kings taking an early 9-3 lead through the boot of Lionel Cronje.
The Jaguares showed great resilience, however, and turned defence into a long ranged try from their own 22m as Gonzalo Bertranou went under the posts. Bonilla converted and the Jaguares took a 9-10 lead.
The Kings were able to regain the lead shortly after another moment of poor discipline from the Jaguares. Cronje converted the penalty to take the Kings into a 12-10 lead.
The Kings suffered shortly after due to foul play from, old Andrean, Ross Geldenhuys, who was sent for a ten-minute breather. Bonilla capitalized and slotted the penalty to gain another three points. The Jaguares went out to a 12-13 lead.
Both teams looked full of running late in the first half, however neither wanted to concede anything in the physical battle either. The legendary Argentinian scrum seemed to cause problems for the Kings, resulting in the Jaguares being awarded a scrum penalty in the Kings’ half. Bonilla converted yet again and the Jaguares extended their lead to 12-16.
The Jaguares continued to apply pressure to the King’s line late in the first half, eventually winning another penalty, which replacement flyhalf, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, slotted through the posts. The half ended with the score 12-19 in favour of the visitors.
The Kings continued to concede penalties in the opening minutes of the second half, allowing Iglesias to convert two penalties within quick succession. The Jaguares extended their halftime lead to 25-12 in the first ten minutes of the second half.
The Kings got an opportunity to attack again in the Jaguares 22m, however conceded possession and the Jaguares were able to once again turn defence into attack. Jaguares’ no. 8, Leonardo Senatore, ran in a try under the posts, which Iglesias made no mistake in converting, allowing the Jaguares to take a 12-32 lead.
The match opened up soon after as a clever chip from the Jaguares and poor defence from the Kings combined to allow Joaquin Tuculet to cross over the line for the visitors. Iglesias continued his kicking form, taking the Jaguares further ahead to a 12-39 lead.
The Kings opened up their try account mid-way through the second half, when the ball went wide from the lineout, freeing up Makazole Mapimpi on the right wing, who touched it down under the posts. Cronje made no mistake from the tee in converting, narrowing the Jaguares’ lead to 19-39, with twelve minutes left in the game.
The Kings continued their late game surge, applying pressure to the Jaguares, which resulted in Felipe Ezcurra being shown yellow for repeated infringements by the Jaguares, meaning he would watch the remainder of the match from the sidelines.
The Jaguares went down to 13 men in the dying minutes of the game, as Matias Moroni was shown yellow for a professional foul. The Kings capitalized shortly afterwards when old Graemian, Luzuko Vulindlu, crossed over after a lineout. Cronje kept his hundred percent record, however it was not enough to overtake the visitors, and the final whistle blew with the score reading Kings 26-39 Jaguares.
The Kings will now be going to Singapore to face the Sunwolves on Saturday, 4 March, before returning to PE the following week to take on the Stormers in PE.
Scorers:
Kings:
Tries: Makazole Mapimpi, Luzuko Vulindlu
Conversions: Lionel Cronje x2
Penalties: Lionel Cronje x4
Yellow cards: Ross Geldenhuys
Jaguares:
Tries: Gonzalo Betranou, Leonardo Senatore, Joaquin Tuculet
Conversions: Joaquin Bonilla x1, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias x2
Penalties: Joaquin Bonilla x3, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias x3
Yellow cards: Felipe Ezcurra, Matias Moroni
