Lions finish strongly to overcome Jaguares in Super Rugby clash
Last Updated: 21/05/16 6:22pm
A strong second-half showing enabled the Lions to trounce the Jaguares 52-24 in their Super Rugby clash in Johannesburg.
After a relatively even first half at a chilly Ellis Park stadium ended 19-9 in favour of the Lions, the Argentinian side faded dramatically after the break and conceded several soft tries.
The Jaguares lacked two key forwards with No 8 Leonardo Senatore starting a 10-week ban for biting and skipper and hooker Agustin Creevy serving a one-week suspension for a dangerous tackle.
The victory ensured the Lions would finish round 13 as the leading team in the two Africa conferences with 37 points and a top-two finish after the league phase will secure a home quarter-final.
It was a ninth defeat in 11 games for the Jaguares, whose line-up is packed with Argentina Test regulars, and the heaviest defeat they have suffered in their debut Super Rugby season.
Courtnall Skosan was first to score, dotting down in the corner after 150 seconds, but Jaguares fly-half Nicolas Sanchez slotted two penalties for a 6-5 lead.
Centre Lionel Mapoe then became the joint-leading Super Rugby tryscorer this season with eight by displaying electric pace and Elton Jantjies converted for the Lions.
A third Sanchez penalty trimmed the Lions' lead to three points before lock Lourens Erasmus galloped past several half-hearted tackles to score and Jantjies converted for a 19-9 advantage.
Flanker Cyle Brink and Jaco Kriel, Ruan Combrinck, Skosan and Combrinck again scored second half-tries for the now dominant Lions.
Combrinck, who replaced substituted Jantjies as the goal-kicker for the second half, succeeded with only one of five conversions, but did send over two penalties.
Sanchez contributed 17 points - a try and four penalties - for the Jaguares, replacement scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou scored a try and another substitute back, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, kicked a conversion.
