Emirates Lions feast on Blues – Vodacom Super Rugby Round 12 Wrap
- Lambie boots Cell C Sharks to victory over Jaguares
- Late Koch try saves DHL Stormers in Singapore
- Toyota Cheetahs resist late Kings rally in Bloemfontein
Centre Lionel Mapoe scored three of the Emirates Lions’ seven tries in their 43-5 Vodacom Super Rugby victory over the Blues on a soaking wet Emirates Airline Park on Saturday evening. The Highveld side also moved passed the DHL Stormers to the top team of the combined South African group standings.
The Johannesburg team gained five points and the DHL Stormers only two, after the Cape side managed to salvage a 17-all draw against the Sunwolves in Singapore thanks to a last-gasp try by replacement prop Vincent Koch. Currently, the Emirates Lions have 32 points, one more than their Cape Town rivals.
In the late match on Saturday evening, Springbok flyhalf Patrick Lambie kicked 20 points to steer the Cell C Sharks to a close-fought 25-22 victory over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires. The Durban outfit led 19-17 at halftime in this gripping encounter and the four points they collected moved them to third place in the SA group on 30 points.
The Argentine side outscored their South African opponents by three tries to one, but it was the composed performance with the boot by Lambie that proved the difference between the two teams.
In Bloemfontein, the Toyota Cheetahs had to fight off a determined late rally by the Southern Kings for their 34-20 home win, a welcome result after they had endured a difficult overseas trip.
The Vodacom Bulls finished their Australian tour with a disappointing 31-8 defeat against the Waratahs, a result which saw them slipped to fourth on the SA group league table.
Elsewhere, the Highlanders defeated the Crusaders 34-26 in Dunedin on Friday morning SA time and the Brumbies won 30-22 over the Reds on the same day in Melbourne. On Saturday, the Hurricanes ran out winners 29-14 over the Reds in Wellington.
Cell C Sharks (19) 25 Jaguares (17) 22
No 8 Dan du Preez scored the only try for the visitors while Lambie slotted the conversion as well as six penalties for his personal tally of 20 points in this tense encounter in Buenos Aires.
It was the first start of the campaign for flyhalf Patrick Lambie after returning from a shoulder injury and he also resumed the captaincy. He started the previous week off the bench, when his side defeated the Hurricanes 32-15 in Durban.
The Jaguares played with grit and determination in front of their supporters and Lambie only managed to land the winning kick seconds before the final hooter.
For the Argentine side, lock Tomás Lavanini, scrumhalf Martín Landajo and prop Santiago García Botta each scored a try. No 10 Nicolás Sánchez kicked two conversions and a penalty.
Afterwards, Argentina internationals Agustin Creevy and Leonardo Senatore were both been cited for foul play. Pumas captain Creevy was cited for a dangerous tackle on flanker Jean Deysel that resulted in the loose forward being carried off on a stretcher.
Senatore was cited after Sanzaar officials reviewed match footage and determined the 32-year-old flanker had appeared to have bitten Sharks loose forward Keegan Daniel during a ruck. Sanzaar said in a statement the match citing commissioner had deemed that both actions had met the red card threshold for foul play.
Scorers:
Jaguares 22 – Tries: Tomas Lavini, Martin Landajo, Santiago Garcia Botta; Conversions: Nicholas Sanchez (2); Penalty: Sanchez.
Cell C Sharks 25 – Try: Daniel du Preez; Conversion: Patrick Lambie; Penalties: Patrick Lambie (6).
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