Four weeks after losing 73-27 to the Jaguares in Argentina, the Southern Kings hit back on Friday with a dramatic 29-22 victory at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Four weeks after losing 73-27 to the Jaguares in Argentina, the Southern Kings hit back on Friday with a dramatic 29-22 victory at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The game got off to a frantic start, with Kings fullback Jurgen Visser taking a knock to the head in the second minute and being stretchered off. He was replaced by Dewald Human and flyhalf Louis Fouche put the Kings 3-0 up from the penalty that followed.
Four minutes later, Fouche had the chance to double his side's lead through another penalty, but he missed from just inside the Jaguares' half. He was made to pay in the 17th minute when his opposite number, Nicolas Sanchez, levelled the scores via a penalty from a similar distance.
Kings lock JC Astle was blood-binned in the 23rd minute and replaced by Schalk Oelofse. Two minutes later, a superb cross-kick from Sanchez found the hands of Jaguares wing Emiliano Boffelli, who appeared to have scored a try.
However, in an astonishing turn of events, it was disallowed due to a shoulder charge on Oelofse from lock Tomas Lavanini, who was red carded as a result.
New signing Wandile Mjekevu looked set to score a try when burst onto a grubber kick, but the on-loan Sharks man lost the ball forward in a tackle having already crossed the try line.
Astle came back onto the field 30 minutes into the game, but Visser remained on the sidelines in a neck brace.
Six minutes before half-time, Sanchez put his side in front for the first time with a penalty kick from just over 40 metres out.
However, three minutes later, they were down to 13 men as prop Ramiro Herrera was red-carded for leading with his shoulder in a cleanout.
The Jaguares evaded a spell of pressure on their try line right before half-time to maintain their 6-3 lead going into the break.
Sanchez nailed three quickfire penalties in the first 12 minutes after half-time – all from just inside the opposition half – to put some breathing space between his side and the Kings.
The Kings hit back in the 58th minute, as prop Schalk Ferreira scored the first try of the game after charging down a clearance kick. Fouche made no mistake in converting from the corner.
However, their resurgence was short lived. All of four minutes later, eighth man Facundo Isa crashed over for the Jaguares. Once again, the kick that followed from Sanchez sailed over.
With a mere ten minutes remaining and the Kings pushing desperately to get back into the game, Human was bundled into touch as he dived for the tryline. However, the move did produce a silver lining for the Kings, as Tomas Lezana was yellow carded for collapsing the maul after repeated infringements from the Jaguares.
Less than two minutes later, the Kings were awarded a penalty try, which Fouche converted.
As the clock ticked away, the Kings surged forward, determined to make the Jaguares pay for their indiscipline. Human dived over in the 73rd minute to level the scores. Fouche's conversion put the Kings in front with less than six minutes remaining.
Mjekevu finally scored on his Kings debut in the 78th minute, putting his side 29-22 ahead. Fouche missed the chance to seal the game, as his conversion attempt failed.
However, the Kings held out to claim only their second win of the season.
