**With anticipation, excitement and nerves in equal measure, the first game of any season has plenty to live up to before a scrum has even been formed.** Some fail to live up to the hype, with rustiness and a whirlwind of emotions denying fans drama they had waited so long for. But the same couldn’t be said when the Isuzu Southern Kings and Cardiff Blues faced off in their 2019/20 curtain-raiser – with scintillating tries and a dramatic comeback ensuring this was a day one barnburner. Port Elizabeth’s Nelson Mandela Stadium played host to this September thriller, with an explosive second half getting the new campaign underway in style. Both sides were playing their first competitive game in months but there were no early cobwebs to dust off in this one, with Demetri Catrakilis getting the hosts on the board with two penalties within 11 minutes. Those kicks came either side of Olly Robinson’s try but those five points were all the Blues had to show for their first-half efforts. Jarrod Evans and Nick Williams were both sent to the sin-bin and the Kings made the most of the numerical advantage, Tienie Burger driving himself over the line for their first try in the 25th minute. Catrakilis added the extras, leaving the South African side pleased with an opening 40 minutes that produced a 13-5 lead.
