The Southern Kings triumphed 31-30 in Buenos Aires on Friday night as a horror run by the Jaguares continued.
It was the fourth win in six Super Rugby matches for the Kings and the seventh loss in eight games for the Argentine outfit .
The Jaguares led 20-14 at halftime but the decisive score came nine minutes from time when Kings winger Wandile Mjekevu scored a try which skipper and fly-half Lionel Cronje converted for a six-point advantage.
Jaguares fullback Joaquin Tuculet scored in the corner to trim the gap to one point, but substitute fly-half Joaquin Diaz Bonilla missed a conversion that would have given his side the lead.
Poor goal-kicking cost the Jaguares dearly as fly-half Nicolas Sanchez fluffed four of six shots at the posts and Bonilla was wide with his two attempts.
Cronje was much more successful, succeeding with five of six kicks at goal as the Kings triumphed in what could be their last Super Rugby match outside South Africa.
Dwindling crowds, shrinking TV audiences and a format that many followers of the competition find confusing are among the reasons why Super Rugby will reduce from 18 teams to 15 next year.
South Africa have to cull two of their six teams and one Australian side among five – either Melbourne Rebels or Western Force – will also drop out.
The South African rugby board plans to announce the two casualties on Friday 7 July and wide spread media speculation is that the Kings and the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs will be the unfortunate two casualties.
@supersport zone
