'Exceptional' Bertranou try helps Jaguares topple Kings
A superb try by Jaguares scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou highlighted a 39-26 Super Rugby triumph for the Argentines over Southern Kings in South Africa Saturday.
Half the visiting team handled the ball in a move started inside their '22' at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Bertranou, deputising for injured Argentina star Martin Landajo, rounded off a string of slick passes by dotting down on 16 minutes.
SuperSport TV analyst and former Springboks coach Nick Mallett called the try "exceptional".
Injuries ruled out two other Argentina backline stars, centre Juan Martin Hernandez and fly-half Nicolas Sanchez.
Outstanding young No. 8 Facundo Isa was missing, too, having signed for French club Toulon.
Full-back Joaquin Tuculet, one of many internationals in the Argentine line-up, was voted man of the match.
"It was important to start the season with a victory and this result makes up for our loss here last year," he said.
"I believe we will be more patient in our second season of Super Rugby and now look forward to facing the Stormers in Cape Town next weekend."
Kings began promisingly and the accuracy of fly-half Lionel Cronje from penalty kicks had the hosts 12-10 ahead midway through the opening half.
But the Jaguares responded with three penalties to lead by seven points at half-time.
After two more penalties in the second half stretched the lead to 25-12, another counter-attack try by the visitors ended the match as a contest.
A turnover ball inside the '22' enabled Tuculet to break free and he sent No. 8 Leonardo Senatore on a long run to the line.
Jaguares' third try came from Tuculet and fly-half Joaquin Diaz Bonilla kicked a conversion and three penalties before being injured.
The goal-kicking of replacement playmaker Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias was also flawless as he slotted two conversions and three penalties.
Wingers Makazole Mapimpi and Luzuko Vulindlu scored a try each for the Kings and Cronje kicked two conversions and four penalties.