Super Rugby: Patrick Lambie steers Sharks to narrow win over Jaguares
By Reuters
Last Updated: 15/05/16 7:55am
Patrick Lambie kicked a 40-metre, final-minute penalty to snatch a 25-22 Super Rugby victory for the Coastal Sharks over the Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
Starting his first game this season after recovering from a shoulder injury, the South Africa fly-half scored 20 points through six penalties and the conversion of a try by loose forward Daniel du Preez.
Lambie, who came on as a substitute last weekend, missed only one of eight shots at goal with his first penalty attempt drifting right of the far post at Estadio Jose Amalfitani.
After trailing 19-17 at half-time, the Argentines dominated the second half and drew level eight minutes from time when loosehead prop Santiago Garcia Botta barged over.
Veteran centre Juan Martin Hernandez, one of 14 Test players in the Jaguares starting line-up, saw his conversion from the touchline drift left and wide.
Sharks, who spent much of the final stages a man short after replacement back S'bura Sithole was sin-binned in the 70th minute, pressed for a winning score and Lambie defied the jeers of a hostile crowd to steer the ball between the posts and give the visitors four precious points.
Tries from lock Tomas Lavanini and Landajo, both converted by fly-half Nicolas Sanchez, had earlier given the hosts a 14-6 lead, which Lambie trimmed to 14-12 with two penalties, but the sin-binning of flanker Pablo Matera proved more costly for the home side.
Within a minute of the yellow card, Du Preez forced his way over and Lambie converted for a five-point lead which was reduced to two before the break when Sanchez kicked a penalty.
Victory lifted the Durban-based side one place to third in the Africa standings with the top three finishers in July qualifying for the quarter-finals.
After winning their opening match, the Jaguares have lost eight of nine and have no chance of making the knockout phase in their debut season.