Error-Ridden Jaguares Lose at home to Chiefs

The debut home performance of Argentina in Super Rugby did not go to plan as an error-Ridden performance saw Los Jaguares 30-26 losing at home to the Chiefs in Buenos Aires this evening.

Continuous errors from the South Americans coupled with high-risk play when cooler heads were required saw Los Jaguares giving away possession and points this evening with the 2012 and 2013 champions helping themselves to gifted points.

The style of play of the Raúl Pérez coached side may be directed at getting Los Pumas’ players into a mind-set in which they can win test matches against the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies in the Rugby Championship but the constant errors is proving to be problematic.

This evening’s fixture called for a less expansive approach to ensure that errors would not result in the opposition scoring. This was, after all, the tale of the opening two matches in South Africa against the Cheetahs and Sharks. At home in Buenos Aires it was repeated with the Chiefs scoring points from counter-attack play to return home to Hamilton, New Zealand with an away victory.

Just five minutes from full time it looked unlikely as a classy try from Los Jaguares replacement Matías Moroni appeared to have secured a win. It was not to be, however, as Brad Weber found his way over to secure a last-gasp victory.

Earlier on Dan Carter’s long-term replacement, Aaron Cruden opened the scoring with an early penalty in the third minute of play. Los Jaguares’ scrum saw the scores leveled with Nicolás Sánchez kicking a penalty to respond shortly thereafter.

Los Jaguares then crossed for the opening try with captain Agustín Creevy scoring in the ninth minute from a  rolling maul. The lead, though, would be short-lived as the TMO was called upon to confirm Sam McNicol had touched down in the corner.

With Cruden off-target with the conversion it took the Chiefs’ second time, through Damian McKenzie, to give the New Zealanders the lead. 13-3 became 14-13 as two Sánchez penalties put the home side in front as the opening half drew to a close.

The Chiefs reclaimed the lead through a McKenzie penalty to open the second half. The fullback had taken over the kicking duties from the struggling Cruden and was successful with his opening shot. A chance to kick the Chiefs further ahead minutes later sailed wide but it mattered not as the Chiefs took the lead through a try to left winger James Lowe.

Trailing 23-14 with unforced errors handling over possession and points Los Jaguares needed to right the wrongs and they did so, scoring twice. First to cross was scrum half Martín Landajo whose sideline try was converted by Sánchez.

Moroni then looked to out-do Orlando’s try vs the Cheetahs as he finished off a try that started from within Los Jaguares’ 22. Moroni finished off smart work from fellow replacements Facundo Isa and Santiago González Iglesias to cross for a late score and give the Argentine side the lead.

The Chiefs, though, broke the hearts of the South Americans as Seta Tamanivalu combined with Cruden who put Weber over to score the match winner.

Scorers
Los Jaguares
Try: Creevy, Landajo, Moroni
Conversion: Sánchez
Penalty: Sánchez (3)

Chiefs
Try: McNicol, McKenzie, Lowe, Weber
Conversion: McKenzie (2)
Penalty: Cruden, McKenzie

Jaguares
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Jeronimo de La Fuente, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy (capt.), 1 Santiago García Botta

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Roberto Tejerizo, 18 Felipe Arregui, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Matías Moroni

Chiefs

15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sam McNicol, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (capt.), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Sam Cane (cc), 6 Tom Sanders, 5 Johan Bardoul, 4 Michael Allardice, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Mitchell Graham

Replacements: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Siate Tokolahi, 19 Taleni Seu, 20 Ma’ama Vaipulu, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Seta Tamanivalu, 23 Glen Fisiiahi