RUGBY: Kings steal exciting win over Bulldogs

A brilliant back and forth encounter saw both teams swapping the lead in the fist half, however once the Kings hit the lead in the second period, they never relinquished it. 

A cracking first half saw eight tries scored between the two teams, with them locked 28-all at the break.

First the Bulldogs got off to a flyer as from a line out just in the Kings half, the ball was spread down the backline where flyhalf Oliver Zono stabbed through a perfect grubber, with left wing Lelethu Gcilitshane picking the ball up on the 22m line, and running down the left hand touch and around under the posts for a converted score after just three minutes.

The Kings however hit back four minutes later through scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer, who picked up the ball at a ruck on the 5m and sniped over towards the left corner.

Flyhalf Pieter-Steyn de Wet converted to draw the scores level.

The Kings then went ahead in the 12^th minute, as from a tuned over ball in their own half they attacked down the right hand touch, with wing neil Maritz making the initial break, before passing to fullback Keanu Vers to draw the last defender and then pass back to Maritz to go over.

De Wet was on target again as the visitors went 14-7 up.

The turning point in the half then came in the 15^th minute as Kings flank SF Nieuwoudt was yellow carded for an off the ball scuffle with a Bulldogs player.

The home side then took full advantage, running in three converted tries while he was off the field.

First from a scrum just over the half way line saw the Bulldogs spread the ball, with fullback Sonwabiso Mqalo hitting a gap and then stepping the last man to run over and dot down under the posts in the 16^th minute.

From the kick off the Bulldogs attacked and with Zono receiving the ball on the right hand touch line, he drew the last defender and passed the ball to wing Michael Makase who then sprinted over 70 meteres to put the Bulldogs back in the lead.

In the 22^nd minute the Bulldogs had their bonus point as an up and under was dropped by a Kings player on the half way, allowing Makase to pick up the ball and attack, but with himself surrounded by defenders he put in a beautiful kick ahead, with the ball bouncing straight into the arms of Gcilitshane, to run over untouched, with Zono slotting his fourth conversion for a 28-14 lead.

The Kings however came storming back, as from a line out on the Bulldogs 5m, their maul broke up, with the ball finding its way to hooker Tango Balekile to crash over for a converted score after 33 minutes.

Three minutes later a mistake from the Bulldogs brought the Kings back level.

Trying to attack from their own 22m, Mqalo knocked on a pass, with the Kings hacking the ball ahead and wing Sonwabo Majola picking up and going over under the posts, with de Wet popping over the conversion to make it all square at the break.

It was a scrappy start to the second half as both teams took their time to find their feet after a blistering first half.

However constant ill discipline from the home side, particularly at the break down allowed the Kings to hit the lead.

The Kings kicked a penalty to touch, and from the resulting line out, sustained pressure on the hosts line ended with flank Stefan Willemse crashing over in the left hand corner for an unconverted score in the 55^th minute.

Another penalty at the break down in the 57^th minute then saw Bulldogs inside centre Lunga Dumezweni yellow carded in the 57^th minute and the Kings moved 36-28 up three minutes as de Wet popped over an easy penalty from right in front of the uprights.

A Zono penalty in the 64^th minute, also from in front brought the game to within a score for the hosts.

Kings eighth-man Brandon Brown was then driven over in the left hand corner for a converted score in the 68^th minute, with Zono then going over under the poles in the 74^th minute to bring the Bulldogs within five points, and the Kings then holding out until the final hooter.