KINGS LET IT SLIP IN THRILLER
Jaer bags hat-trick in 12-try fest against Western Force
THE Southern Kings slipped to a narrow 46-41 defeat against the Western Force in a 12-try Super Rugby thriller in Perth yesterday. The Kings looked set for victory when they ran in two tries in three minutes for a 35-28 lead after 64 minutes.
However, the Force then piled on three tries of their own in 10 minutes, the third a penalty try, to snatch the win on an emotional day.
There was a hat-trick of tries for flying fullback Malcolm Jaer in a game that produced 12 tries.
“I think there were good tries scored by both sides and I feel that the Force used their opportunities better, specially when they got into our 22,” disappointed Kings coach Deon Davids said.
“In the first half, we had ample opportunities, but we did not make good decisions and small mistakes cost us dearly.
“Then, in the second half, we scored some brilliant tries and then we let it slip. A lack of concentration and playing outside our plan cost us.
“Those are the lessons that these youngsters must learn and they will be better people and players next time in the same situation.
“We still have two tough games ahead in Australia and we have to rebound as soon as possible.”
Kings captain Lionel Cronje said his team would have to work on their defence.
“We tried to put on a good spectacle of rugby and we really enjoyed coming to Perth. We have had great week here and the support was great,” he said.
“As coach said we did not stick to our plan and control the game when we were ahead.
“There was a period in the second half where we could have closed out the game.
“We have to learn those lessons and stay focused. I think our defence let us down, and our kicking game.
“Those are areas that we have to work on and execute better in the weeks ahead,” Cronje said.
Nine of the 12 tries came in an extraordinary second half where defence went out the window.
Up 15-7 at the break, the Force conceded two tries, to Yaw Penxe and Jaer, in the first three minutes after the resumption.
They steadied to lead 25-24, but lost their way when Cronje bamboozled them with a sleight of hand in the 62nd minute and set up an easy try for Penxe with a chip kick.
Two minutes later, Penxe picked off a pass and skipped over a lunging tackle to burst away to notch his first Super Rugby hat-trick of tries to give his side a 38-25 advantage.
However, just 60 seconds later, the Force’s Alex Newsome charged down a Kings kick and ran onto the rebound for a try.
A controversial penalty try for a scrum under the posts handed the lead back to the Force.
Ben McCalman then pushed over in the 75th minute to break the Kings as their lead was extended to eight points. – Additional reporting by AFP The scorers:
Western Force 46: Tries: Jono Lance, Alex Newsome (2), Dane Haylett-Petty, Ben McCalman; Penalty try; Conversions: Lance (3) and Ian Pryor; Penalties: Lance (2).
Southern Kings 41: Tries: Justin Forwood, Yaw Penxe, Malcolm Jaer (3), Makazole Mapimpi; Conversions: Lionel Cronje (4); Penalty: PieterSteyn de Wet.