Too little, too late for Kings
Final burst of tries just not enough to save PE-based side
Not even a late two-try burst could save the Isuzu Southern Kings from a 36-30 defeat against Benetton Treviso in Italy on Saturday.
After trailing 36-9 after 61 minutes, the Kings made the scoreboard look more respectable with last-gasp tries from Christopher Hollis and Bobby de Wee.
The damage, though, had already been done and the defeat left the Kings winless after four rounds of the Guinness PRO14 competition.
The Port Elizabeth side are bottom of Conference B of the tournament and now face tough away matches against Glasgow and Ospreys.
“I am disappointed and there were a lot of individual errors,” Kings interim head coach Robbie Kempson said.
“A lot of what we chatted about at half-time they did not do in the second half.
“That was the most disappointing thing for me. From a team perspective we are losing out because of those individual errors. Then we are creating opportunities, but not converting them unfortunately.”
To compound the Kings’ problems, flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis left the field with his arm in a brace during the second half and it seems unlikely he will take any further part of the tour. Catrakilis’s place was taken by Siya Masuku who kicked three conversions after he came onto the field.
The Italians outscored the Kings five tries to three.
Overall the Kings have now lost seven matches on the trot since Kempson took over from Deon Davids.
Apart from the four PRO14 defeats, the Kings were also beaten twice by Namibia and once by Georgia in pre-season warm-up games.
There had been high hopes that a change in coaching staff and new players would herald a change for the troubled Eastern Cape side.
Their lack of bite on attack in the opening games prompted the new owners to bring in former Springbok assistant coach Swys de Bruin.
Last season the Kings won only two of their 21 matches, and the new owners will not be happy with their slow start to the tournament.
Catrakilis got the first points on the board, slotting over a penalty for the Kings in the sixth minute.
Left-wing Angelo Espesito scored the first try for the home side in the ninth minute, which flyhalf Ian Keatley converted.
Catrakilis kicked a second penalty and Benetton flyhalf Keatley responded with one of his own which left the Italians ahead 10-6.
Catrakilis made it 10-9 in the 36th minute, but Keatley scored a try on the stroke of half-time, which he failed to convert.
The home side started the second half with a bang, increasing their lead with tries by right-wing Ratuva Tavuyara, centre Ignatius Brex and replacement Federico Ruzza.
Keatley converted the first two five pointers and replacement flyhalf Antonio Rizzi the other to leave the home side with a 36-9 advantage.
The Industrious Keatley was at the heart of much of Benetton’s play and was named man of the match.
Scorers: Benetton 36: Tries: Angelo Espesito, Ian Keatley, Ignatius Brex, Ratuva Tavuyara, Federico Ruzza. Conversions: Keatley (3), Antonio Rizzi (1).
Penalty: Keatley. Southern Kings 30: Tries:
Rossouw de Klerk, Chris Hollis, Bobby de Wee. Conversions:
Siya Masuku (3). Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis (3).
There had been high hopes that a change in coaching staff and new players would herald a change for the troubled Eastern Cape side.