Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Los Head Coach Raúl Pèrez has opted to change three players for Saturday’s Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes in Wellington. Alterations see starts this weekend for Santiago García Botta, Matías Orlando and Nicolás Sánchez.
Sánchez returns to start at fly half which sees last weekend’s starting 10, Santiago González Iglesias, move out one spot to replace Jerónimo De la Fuente at inside center. González Iglesias is to partner Matías Moroni in a new-look mid-field combination.
Pérez had initially gone for two changes outwide with a positional switch seeing Ramiro Moyano making way for Emiliano Boffelli at fullback and Orlando stepping in to start on the wing, meaning Manuel Montero was the only player retained in the same position from the lineup that took on the Blues.
Plans, though, changed with Montero getting hurt in training. Reconfiguration is to see Moyano playing wfullback with Boffelli and Orlando playing as the starting wingers.
Loosehead prop is the only position of change to the pack this weekend. García Botta comes in for Roberto Tejerizo as expected.
Veteran Juan Manuel Leguizamón will have an opportunity from the bench. The Rugby World Cup 2007, 2011 and 2015 back-rower flew in from Buenos Aires to replace the injured Tomás Lezana. He is expected to start against the Crusaders next week.
With the changes made Pérez had opted against using two players: Felipe Arregui and Joaquín Paz. Of them the latter was a replacement in Auckland last weekend. Paz may now be elevated to the bench though Santiago Cordero may be rushed in upon arrival from Buenos Aires.
With Creevy set to arrive in New Zealand in time for the Crusaders fixture scrum half Martín Landajo retains the captaincy for another week. Creevy will be one of a host of reinforcements for the Crusaders and Sunwolves. Matías Alemanno, Agustín Creevy, Felipe Ezcurra, Facundo Gigena, Lucas González Amorosino, Juan Martín Hernández, Facundo Isa, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and Joaquín Tuculet are set to fly in.
Los Jaguares
1 Santiago García Botta, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Rodrigo Báez, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 9 Martín Landajo (capt.), 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 12 Santiago González Iglesias, 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Matías Orlando, 15 Ramiro Moyano
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Roberto Tejerizo, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Juan Cruz Gullemain, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 23 tba
