The return of the Southern Kings to Super Rugby ended in disappointment with a comprehensive 43-8 loss to South African rivals the Sharks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors sealed their bonus-point victory thanks to tries from wingers Odwa Ndungane and Lwazi Mvovo, flanker Jean-Luc du Preez, fullback Willie le Roux and center Paul Jordaan. Flyhalf Joe Pietersen added five conversions and a penalty.
The home side were in the game at halftime as they trailed 15-8, having scored a try via flanker Chris Cloete and a penalty from flyhalf Elgar Watts, but lost their defensive shape as the visitors ran in three tries within 20 minutes of the restart.
The Kings had the better of the opening exchanges and took the lead inside nine minutes when Cloete drove over from a maul.
The Sharks began to take control of territory and possession, however, and Ndungane profited from a break by opposite wing Mvovo to score his first.
Du Preez stretched to dot down and give the Sharks the lead before Springbok fullback Le Roux scored a wonderful solo effort as he beat two defenders with a mazy run for the visitors’ third try.
The Sharks forward pack dominated and having mauled close to the Kings line, the ball went wide for Jordaan to canter over.
Mvovo added a fifth after showing a bit of gas out wide, before Ndungane crossed in the corner to complete his brace.
STORMERS 33, BULLS 9
Rookie flyhalf Robert du Preez scored 23 points as the Stormers completed a dominant victory over local rivals the Bulls in their season-opener at Newlands on Saturday.
Du Preez, 22, scored the opening try of the game and added three conversions and four penalties in a fine solo performance in just his second match for the Cape Town-based team.
Lock Eben Etzebeth and hooker Scarra Ntubeni added further scores while all the points for the visitors came via the boot of number 10 Francois Brummer with three penalties.
The Stormers led 9-6 at halftime, having had much of the territory and possession, but did little with it in an error-strewn opening 40 minutes.
They were better in the second period and after the sides added a penalty each, Du Preez crossed the line for the opening try.
The Stormers formed a maul from a line-out and after making some yards, co-captain Juan de Jongh attacked the Bulls with ball in hand and set his flyhalf free to score out wide.
They added a second with 15 minutes remaining as Etzebeth profited from the fine break of replacement wing Leolin Zas and powered over the line.
Ntubeni drove over from a maul to take the Stormers to the brink of a bonus-point with three minutes remaining.
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