South Africa's Kings in first Super 15 win in Australia

MELBOURNE (AFP) –

Players of the Southern Kings celebrate after beating the Melbourne Storm during their Super 15 round 9 rugby union match in Melbourne on April 13, 2013. Fly-half Demetri Catrakilis landed a drop goal after the full-time siren to claim South Africa’s Southern Kings their first Super 15 win in Australia against the Melbourne Rebels.

Fly-half Demetri Catrakilis landed a drop goal after the full-time siren to claim South Africa’s Southern Kings their first Super 15 win in Australia against the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday.

The Kings, in their debut season in Super Rugby, downed the Rebels 30-27 after last week coming from behind to earn a 28-28 draw with competition leaders ACT Brumbies in Canberra.

The Rebels looked to have done enough to get the winning points after fighting back from 14-0 down to lead 27-17 with 27 minutes left.

But the Port Elizabeth-based Kings refused to give in and drew level following a converted try from Wimpie van der Walt with five minutes left.

It was left to Catrakilis to claim victory for the Kings with his drop goal after the South Africans had the ball deep in Rebels’ territory after the siren.

While the Kings were celebrating their first success in Australia and their second victory over an Australian side this season, after beating Western Force at home in February, the Rebels have now lost all 11 of their matches against South African teams.

Just like the previous weekend against the Brumbies, the Kings never threw in the towel and showed great character to overhaul the home side at the death.

“I’m feeling really good. Our goal was to come away with a win overseas and we did it,” Catrakilis, 23, said.

“We thought we had to keep it tight and keep control of the ball. I thought we did that in stages but at the end of the day we came away with a win.”

Kings skipper Andries Strauss said: “The boys showed a lot of fight today and we went up early in the game and let it slip a bit but great character from the guys to fight back and get this win.”

Both of the Kings’ first-half tries came against the run of play and exposed some flimsy Rebels defence as winger Ronnie Cooke and scrum-half Shaun Venter scored with ease.

But momentum started to shift the Rebels’ way and a telling moment came late in the first half when skipper, Wallaby Scott Higginbotham, declined a shot at penalty goal three times to go for a try.

The Rebels received the big reward they were after with playmaker James O’Connor involved in the leadup for a try to replacement fullback Angus Roberts in the corner.

O’Connor’s conversion levelled the scores at 17-17.

An O’Connor penalty early in the second half gave the home side the lead for the first time, which they extended with a try from centre Mitch Inman.

But the 10-point lead did not prove enough as Catrakilis closed the gap with a penalty before van der Walt’s late effort set up the thrilling finish.

“We did everything to win the game and then in turn everything to lose it. We just gave it away in the end,” Higginbotham said.

“We went away from the game plan in the last bit and that comes down to a lack of experience and we’ve just got to work on that, settle our nerves and play to our strengths.”

The Kings will return home where they will play the Northern Bulls in Port Elizabeth next weekend, while the Rebels have a bye.