Kings snatch win against 12-man Jaguares
Southern Kings scored three late tries when Jaguares were reduced to 12 men and won an error-strewn Super Rugby battle of strugglers 29-22 in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
The Argentine visitors had lock Tomas Lavanini and tighthead prop Ramiro Herrera red carded during the first half for shoulder charges to the heads of South African opponents.
Having gallantly turned a 6-3 half-time lead into a 22-10 advantage, Jaguares were dealt a further blow 10 minutes from time when flanker Tomas Lezana was yellow carded for collapsing a maul.
The three cards added to a season-long tale of Jaguares' indiscipline with No.8 Leonardo Senatore banned for 10 weeks this month having been cited for biting an opponent.
After playing an intelligent compact game with 13 men for 32 minutes, the South Americans' resistance finally collapsed when three men short.
New Zealand referee Nick Briant awarded Kings a penalty try, then replacement full-back Dewald Human and winger Wandile Mjekevu scored.
It was the hollowest of wins for the Port Elizabeth outfit, who also picked up a first bonus point this season thanks to a 4-1 try count at a sparsely populated Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Jaguares, who hammered Kings 73-27 at home on April 30, also secured a bonus point for losing by less than eight points.
"We could do nothing," said Jaguares skipper and hooker Agustin Creevy, referring to the handicap of playing with 13 players for so long.
"It was very difficult for us," added the forward nursing a badly swollen upper lip.
SuperSport analyst and former South Africa coach Nick Mallett said the Jaguares "do not know how to play within the laws of the game.
"I believe it is a culture problem with some Argentine referees allowing illegal clean-outs and not spotting off-the-ball incidents.
"There is no place to hide in Super Rugby with multiple cameras, assistant referees and television match officials."
Robbie Kempson, another SuperSport analyst and former Springboks prop, praised the bravery of Briant.
"A lot of referees cop out of the decisions he made."
Loosehead prop Schalk Ferreira was the Kings' other try scorer and fly-half Louis Fouche kicked three conversions and a penalty from six shots at goal.
Outstanding young No.8 Facundo Isa, the official man of the match, scored a try for the Buenos Aires-based outfit and fly-half Nicolas Sanchez slotted a conversion and five penalties.
The result had no impact on the Africa 2 conference standings with Jaguares staying third and Kings fourth, and neither team has any chance of making the play-offs.