Jaguares eye history after 7th straight triumph

BUENOS AIRES: Jaguares beat Western Stormers 25-14 in Buenos Aires Saturday for a seventh consecutive Super Rugby victory that boosted their chances of making the play-offs for the first time.

A fightback earned Coastal Sharks a 31-24 win over Golden Lions, ACT Brumbies upset Wellington Hurricanes 24-12 and Waikato Chiefs blew away Otago Highlanders 45-22.

In another match, Sunwolves edged Northern Bulls 42-37 to notch three victories in a season for the first time.

After losing five of their first seven matches, a remarkable turnaround by the Argentine outfit continued with a routine win having led 15-7 at half-time.

Matias Orlando scored 51 seconds into the second half to stretch the advantage and Stormers never looked like succeeding on the road for the first time this season.

Jaguares are three points behind leaders Lions in the South African conference, but have two regular-season matches to play and the Johannesburg outfit only one.

Lions, runners-up in the past two seasons, deserved more than a 21-11 half-time lead having dominated possession and territory in Durban.

After play-offs hopefuls Sharks levelled at 21-21 with 16 minutes left, Lions nudged ahead through an Elton Jantjies penalty.

But Sharks finished stronger and an intercept try by Lwazi Mvovo gave them a lead which Super Rugby leading points scorer Robert du Preez increased via a conversion and penalty.

“I was proud of my boys because they kept on fighting when we trailed and were starved of possession,” said Sharks skipper Ruan Botha.