PORT ELIZABETH, February 25 (ANA) – The Southern Kings were soundly beaten 39-26 by the visiting Jaguares at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday evening, suggesting it is going to be a long Super Rugby season for the home side.
The Jaguares went ahead just two minutes into the game through a penalty by flyhalf Joaquim Diaz Bonilla, but the home team struck back almost immediately with an equaliser from former Sharks Currie Cup flyhalf Lionel Cronje. He capitalised on that just a minute later with a long-range penalty to put his side ahead at 6-3 and was on song again to put his side 9-3 up within eight minutes.
The Argentineans had seemed almost disinterested in proceedings, but were galvanised into action when a break-out from inside their 22 saw scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou complete a sensational team try. The conversion put the visitors 10-9 ahead but the Kings fought back and territorial advantage earned them a penalty for Cronje to goal to regain the lead.
But the Kings’ cause was not helped when prop Ross Geldenhuys was sin-binned for foul play and Diaz Bonilla further punished the Kings with three points from the resulting penalty.
The lead was extended to16-12 when the Kings were penalised at scrum time, with the Jaguares having made the most of their one-man advantage in the scrums.
But the home side’s scrumming did not improve when Geldenhuys returned and a tighthead to the visitors resulted in a penalty on the stroke of half-time, this time Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias doing the honours. He had replaced Diaz Bonilla, who had gone off for a concussion test.
Eight minutes into the second half the Argentinians extended their lead to 10 points with a second penalty by Iglesias, who had permanently replaced the concussed Bonilla.
The Jaguares’ scrumming advantage seemed to win them penalties at will, and Iglesias nailed his third shot at goal for a 25-12 lead before a breakout from the Jaguares in their 22 saw No 8 Leonardo Senatore score, and when fullback Joaquin Tuculet scored two minutes later, a rout was on the cards at 39-12 with 20 minutes to go.
The Kings did not give up and there were consolation tries for wing Makazole Mapimpi and substitute wing Luzuko Vulindlu to give the score respectability.
Scorers: Kings 26 (12): Tries: Makazole Mapimpi, Luzuko Vulindlu. Conversions: Lionel Cronje (2). Penalties: Lionel Cronje (4)
Jaguares 39 (19): Tries: Gonzalo Bertranou, Leonardo Senatore, Joaquin Tuculet Conversions: Joaquim Diaz Bonilla (1), Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias (2). Penalties: Joaquim Diaz Bonilla (3), Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias (3) – African News Agency (ANA)
