Welcome to Round 16 of Foreign Exchanges which are short reports of Super Rugby matches that don’t involve Aussies teams – and it’s just as well after last weekend.
It’s getting down to the wire and the Bulls and Sharks had to keep winning because they were in a dance of death with each other.
Lions 57 – Kings 21
by Dru Spork
A try (van Rensburg) in the first 90 seconds foreshadowed what was to come.
The Kings responded (turnover after a messy Lions 5-metre scrum) with halfback Hall scampering through a ruck to score.
The Lions missed two tries, but one was awarded to Coetzee. The Kings’ defence was dangerously “flat”, pushing what they could get away with and testing the patience of referee van Heerden.
The Lions led at the break with some individual performances from a rusty-looking team.
Half-time score: Lions 17 – Kings 7.
The second half started with tries to the Lions (scrumhalf, de Klerk) – and then the Kings (centre Watermeyer) against the play. More significantly the referee took account of earlier team warnings, and yellow cards were issued to the Kings at 55 and 60 minutes.
The floodgates opened with tries to Mostert, Marx, van Rensburg (his second) and Mahuza (first Super Rugby cap, first touch, first try). The Lions crowd scattering was singing again!
Ferriera scored a Kings’ consolation try after the bell
It was another disparagingly high scoring game for the weekend. The Lions won well on the scoreboard and have earned their position, but must be more clinical going forward to the finals than in this match.
Final score: Lions 57 – Kings 21.
Try scorer Ruan van Rensburg – dotted down in the first 90 seconds
Get more match information from New Zealand Herald
Bulls 50 – Sunwolves 3
by “Ozee316″
The Bulls scored at regular intervals in the first spell.
The first try came after ten minutes when a powerful run from Ulengo (11) put Labuschagne (6) over down the left flank. Then a wayward grubber kick resulted in Swanepoel (13) finishing a 75-metre Bulls’ counter attack
Then Kirsten (7) crashed over from ten metres out at 26 minutes. The Sunwolves had barely been in the game.
An impressive build up by Ed Quirk (7) and Yatomi (9) looked promising for the Sunwolves but loose head prop Inagaki was bundled out on the corner flag to end a lop- sided half.
Half time score: Bulls 31-3 Sunwolves
Hooker and skipper Strauss opened the scoring in the second spell reaching out for the five-pointer.
But it was the Sunwolves that dominated much of the play after the break. Their passes now stuck and they camped in the Bulls half for 25 minutes. Their best reward however was a try held up in the 53rd minute.
Winding down the clock the Bulls showed their class by scoring two more tries to pacey winger Ishmael (14) showcasing their ability to counter attack and create tries.
Full-time score: Bulls 50 – Sunwolves 3.
Ed Quirk (Sunwolves) lines up Ronaldo Botha (Bulls)
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Sharks 26 – Cheetahs 10
by “redstragic”
Thanks to a bonus point victory to the Bulls earlier against the Sunwolves, the Sharks needed a win to ensure they would stay in the hunt for the play-offs, then enjoy a cushy win against the Sunwolves themselves in the last round. Unfortunately the game did not live up to the hype of a critical match.
The Cheetahs started better and winger Rhule scored the first try of the game for them after some early dominance, and Zeilinga converted. Sharks’ skipper Mtawarira was yellow-carded for slapping a tighthead prop !! The Cheetahs led 7-0.
Sharks flyhalf, April, responded soon after with the first of four penalties; then the teams slugged it out until the 34th minute when JP Pietersen scored for the Sharkies off a break.
Half-time score: Sharks 10 – Cheetahs 7.
The Sharks found some set piece ascendancy and profited with two penalty goals to one before replacement Ungerer intercepted an errant pass to score. This clinched the game for the Sharks 23-10 with 18 minutes remaining, and April slotted his fourth penalty as icing on the cake.
Full-time score: Sharks 26 – Cheetahs 10.
The Sharks did enough to win but will have to play much better in the finals.
JP Pietersen scores in the 34rd minute
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Highlanders 34 – Jaguares 8
by Scott Rea
The Highlanders enjoyed a bonus-point win against Los Jaguares and both teams provided a high-octane, entertaining match.
Ben Smith (15) scored inside two minutes after twelve phases for the Highlanders and following some enterprising play by Smith, Thompson ran 50 metres for a cracking try. The Clan led 14-3 at 15 minutes.
Near the half-hour mark Elliot Dixon (6) stole the ball in a tackle and then was on the end of a string of passes for Highlanders’ third try.
Juan Martin Hernandez (12) scored the Jaguares only five-pointer after a brilliant passing move leading up to the break.
Half time score: Highlanders 24 – Jaguares 8
In a somewhat willing contest both sides received warnings of a yellow card and Faddes (23) got one near the end of the game.
The only scoring after the break was when Sopoaga kicked a penalty and Dixon scored his second try at 63 minutes.
Full-time score: Highlanders 34 – Jaguares 8
Surprisingly the Jaguares lost six lineouts and the Highlanders, three.
Jaguares’ Facundo Isa (8) gained 90 metres from 13 carries beating five defenders and made ten tackles creating two turnovers. Highlanders’ Rob Thompson (12) gained 105 metres and Patrick Osborne (11) gained 94.
Fullback Matt Faddes gets a leg of fullback Joaquin Tuculet
Get more match information from New Zealand Herald
Statistics courtesy of Opta Sports and NZ Herald
