DHL Stormers edged out in Argentina
The DHL Stormers fought hard, but went down 30-25 against the Jaguares in their Vodacom Super Rugby encounter in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
It was a brave performance from the visitors, who played hard until the final whistle and had a chance to win it at the death, but they leave Argentina with just a single bonus point to show for their efforts.
The home side struck early with what was to be the only try of the first half, with flank Pablo Matera getting over following a well-worked move from an attacking scrum.
They took their lead out to 10-0 shortly afterwards as flyhalf Domingo Miotti slotted a penalty, with the DHL Stormers battling to get out of their own half.
The visitors regrouped well and won a series of penalties, with flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis pulling one wide from the halfway line, but landing three other attempts at goal to reduce the deficit to 10-9.
The Jaguares had the final say in the first half with a second penalty from Miotti following a dangerous tackle from Eben Etzebeth, which gave them a 13-9 advantage at the break.
The DHL Stormers were first to score in the second half as a powerful scrum gave Du Plessis the opportunity to kick his fourth penalty.
The Jaguares responded with a second try as left wing Ramiro Moyano scrambled over in the corner to make it 20-12.
With Du Plessis having been replaced by Damian de Allende, Damian Willemse shifted to flyhalf and took up the goalkicking duties. He slotted two penalties in succession to make it a two-point game at 20-18.
Miotti added a third penalty before the Jaguares were awarded a penalty try, with DHL Stormers outside centre JJ Engelbrecht shown a yellow card for what was ruled to be a deliberate knock-down.
Despute being up against it, the DHL Stormers refused to give in and came up with a try of their own shortly afterwards. Justin Phillips broke from the base of a scrum and found Dillyn Leyds, who put Seabelo Senatla over for the try.
The DHL Stormers had the late momentum and had a chance to win it at the death after Matera was shown a yellow card, but it was not to be as the Jaguares held on for victory.
The scorers:
For DHL Stormers:
Try: Senatla
Con: Willemse
Pens: Du Plessis 4, Willemse 2
For Jaguares:
Tries: Matera, Moyano, penalty try
Cons: Miotti 2
Pens: Miotti 3
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Jaco Coetzee , 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Johan du Toit, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Damian de Allende, 23 Seabelo Senatla.
Jaguares: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (captain), 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Tomás Lezana, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Rodrigo Bruni, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Bautista Ezcurra, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere.
