The Jaguares beat the Stormers 30-25 in a damp, drab affair at Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires.
The Jaguares have won their fourth Super Rugby game on the bounce thanks to tries from Pablo Matera, Matias Moroni and a penalty try, in the final throes of this dour contest.
Johannes Engelbrecht was yellow-carded for a professional foul with the score at 23-18 with eight minutes remaining.
The referee awarded a penalty try after a TMO review before Seabelo Senatla crossed three minutes later.
It was too little, too late for Robbie Fleck’s men. His side fluffed a great opportunity.
Gonzalo Quesada’s side held firm.
Four minutes into added time, the Stormers had a lineout on the Jaguares‘ 5m, but they blew the set-piece, handing the Argentinians the game.
Jean-Luc du Plessis and Damian Willemse shared five penalties and a conversion, while Domingo Miotti was flawless from the tee, adding 10 points.
The first half was a scrappy affair, littered with stoppages
The hosts took a slender 13-9 halftime lead after a stop-start opening 40 minutes that were littered with handling errors and indiscretions.
It was hot and humid. The damp pitch made it tough for players to keep their footing, or hands on the ball.
Mistakes, as well as a mounting disciplinary issue on both sides, dominated the match.
Matera scored his fifth try of the season after Emiliano Boffelli’s perfectly timed run opened up the South Africans.
The try came from the first-phase ball off the back of the game’s first scrum, which the Jaguares recycled quickly for the fullback to break the line.
The Stormers were dropping like flies
Sergeal Petersen left the field after the opening few minutes before Willemse went down after being double-teamed by Matias Moroni and Matias Orlando.
Miotti added a penalty soon afterwards when the Stormers‘ backline were all offside.
The Cape Town side leaked two penalties and four handling errors in the first 12 minutes. t
They also turned the ball over twice as they struggled to keep possession.
Jean-Luc du Plessis put the visitors on the board after his side’s first sustained period of attack.
Guido Petti was penalised for charging in the lineout.
Du Plessis missed a long-range attempt before doubling his team’s lead from the next play.
Wilco Louw, Mbongeni Mbonambi and Steven Kitshoff were excellent in the scrums.
Their opposite front rowers, however, struggled as the half went on.
Du Plessis kicked for territory at every opportunity, and the backs rarely saw any ball.
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro collapsed another scrum, and the Stormers’ flyhalf cut the deficit.
The half ended with some tempers flaring.
Miotti extended his side’s lead on the stroke of halftime after a high tackle by Eben Etzebeth on Agustin Creevy.
Jaguares take control after the interval
Du Plessis cancelled out Miotti’s late first-half penalty seven minutes after the restart.
The second-half was a mess; both sides were guilty of multiple indirections.
There was no pace or tempo, just a slog as the goal-kickers took centre stage.
Ramiro Moyano crossed after some sustained pressure inside the Stormers’ 22.
The Jaguares sent the ball through the hands of several players to Moyano on the wing.
He stayed strong in the tackle to dot down in the corner. Miotti slotted the sideline conversion.
Willemse kicked two quick-fire penalties in three minutes to keep his side in the hunt.
Just as the South Africans got a foot-hold, they gave away the initiative with ill-discipline.
Corne Fourie was offsides from the series after the restart.
Miotti added his second penalty to make it a five-point ball-game.
The home side found a spark, and they made their guests pay.
The Jaguares camped inside the Stormers’ 22. Their persistence paid off two-fold when they were awarded a penalty try.
Engelbrecht deliberately knocked down Miotti’s pass to Moroni, which would have been a try.
Justin Phillips’ inspiration set-up Senatla’s try.
It came from a centre-field scrum.
Phillips broke to his right and ghosted through the Jaguares into the 22.
He played Dillyn Leyds, on his outside, and Leyds popped to Senatla to finish. Willemse added the extras.
The South Africans launched a sustained attack in the dying stages of the contest.
Multiple penalties in favour of the Stormers helped them set-up a lineout on the Jaguares’ line.
However, they ruined the set-piece, and the South Americans held out for the victory.
Final Score: Jaguares 30 (13) Stormers 25 (9)
Scorers
Jaguares
Tries – Matera, Moyano, Penalty try
Pen – Miotti (2)
Con – Miotti (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Stormers
Tries – Senatla
Pen – J. Du Plessis (3), Willemse (2)
Con – Willemse
Drop –
Cards – Engelbrecht (Yellow, 72′)
Match Officials
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant Ref 1: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Ref 2: Federico Anselmi
TMO: Santiago Borsani
Teams
Jaguares
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Tomas Lezana, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti Pagadizaval, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Rodrigo Bruni, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, 23 Sebastian Cancelliere.
Stormers
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Johannes 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 John Schickerling, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Johan du Toit, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Damian de Allende, 23 Seabelo Senatla.
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