12-man Jaguares downed in Controversial Kings Match

Having won 73-27 in Buenos Aires against the same opposition much was expected of Los Jaguares away to the Kings this afternoon in Port Elizabeth.

The second match, though, was vastly different as the Argentine franchise played over half the match with just 13 players. Red cards to second-rower Tomás Lavanini and tighthead prop Ramiro Herrera in the 26th and 37th minutes altered the shape of the game.

Before either incident the TMO had called into question a tackle on Joaquín Tuculet. The Jaguares fullback had been taken down by a foot trip which the referee determined was not a yellow card. Similar incidents in Rugby World Cup 2015 saw Richie McCaw and Tomás Cubelli off the field for ten minutes.

Playing without two forwards Los Jaguares should never have stood a chance but somehow with ten minutes remaining held a 22-10 lead. Referee Nick Briant, though, had a further impact when he yellow carded Tomás Lezana for collapsing a maul. With it the Argentine side were down to 12 men.

Lezana’s yellow carding was the turning point. It proved to be a nineteen point decision. The call was what gave the Kings the win. Having already sent-off two forwards Briant’s yellow carding of Lezana was followed by extreme controversy.

The Kings opted for a scrum from the resulting penalty which was against a Jaguares pack missing three men. The Kings fed well and pushed forward with Los Jaguares giving way and the scrum collapsing. Rather than reset again and warn the captain Briant awarded a penalty try instantly.

The Kings crossed for two further tries in the final minutes to finish off their second win of the season, doing so by a scoreline of 29-22. Prior to Lezana’s yellow carding Los Jaguares were heading towards and unlikely 13-man victory. The visitors had gone clear from five Nicolás Sánchez penalties and a try from the player of the day, Facundo Isa.

Los Jaguares are to now return home as an unhappy team. Attention will turn to Italy and France, Los Pumas’ opposition in June. Both Lavanini and Herrera may miss out through suspension while Emiliano Boffelli requires assessment after the winger was hurt in scoring a cancelled try due to Lavanini’s red carding.

SCORERS
KINGS
Try: Ferreira, Penalty try, Human, Mjekevu
Conversion: Fouché (3)
Pens: Fouché

LOS JAGUARES
Try: Isa
Con: Sánchez
Pens: Sánchez (5)
Red Card: Lavanini, Herrera
Yellow Card: Lezana.

KINGS
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Lukhanyo Am, 13 Stefan Watermeyer, 12 Shane Gates, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Louis Fouche, 9 Ntando Kebe, 8 Aidon Davis, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Stefan Willemse, 5 JC Astle, 4 Steven Sykes (capt.), 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Edgar Marutlulle, 1 Schalk Ferreira

Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Justin Ackerman, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Schalk Oelofse, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21 Kevin Luiters, 22 Dewald Human, 23 JP du Plessis

Jaguares
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Matías Orlando, 13 Segundo Tuculet, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo (capt.), 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Tomás Lezana, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Santiago García Botta

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Facundo Gigena, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Ramiro Moyano