Super Rugby: Kings make history in Buenos Aires
Deon Davids' troops are expected to be be culled from future competitions next week but they're certainly going out with a bang.
Kings winger Makazole Mapimpi continued his excellent season. Photo: Juan Mabromata/AFP.
A Southern Kings team facing the Super Rugby axe next week triumphed 31-30 in Buenos Aires Friday as a horror run by the Jaguares continued.
It was the fourth win in six matches for the one-time South African whipping boys, and the seventh loss in eight games for an Argentine outfit who began the season promisingly.
Jaguares led 20-14 at half-time in an often scrappy, error-strewn round 15 tussle.
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 flyhalf Joaquin Diaz Bonilla missed a conversion that would have given his side the lead.
Poor goal-kicking cost the Jaguares dearly as flyhalf 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 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 Rebels or Force – will also drop out.
The South African rugby board plan to announce the two casualties Friday.
The Kings were always competitive against a team packed with Argentine internationals.
As the second half progressed, the South Africans scrummed superbly and a powerful surge from one set-piece led to the Mjekevu try.
Kings trailed once and led twice before a Sanchez try and conversion two minutes from half-time delivered a six-point advantage to his side by the break.
An early second-half try from Tuculet stretched the lead to 25-14 – the widest gap between the teams during the match.
Cronje kicked a penalty and converted a Makazole Mapimpi try to leave the Kings just one point behind and Mjekevu then struck the decisive blow.
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