Match Preview – Jaguares vs Sharks

Los Jaguares host the Sharks in a vital home fixture on Saturday. With an eye on the play-off’s picture this is a match in which the Argentine side simply must win. It is to be the toughest of four straight home matches. The Sunwolves, Western Force and Brumbies are all preparing their visits to Buenos Aires.

The reinforcement of fit-again players is to help Los Jaguares. Juan Martín Hernández, Martín Landajo, Tomás Lavanini, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Manuel Montero, Matías Moroni, Javier Ortega Desio and Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro are back in the mix now. Head Coach Raúl Pérez, though, is not rushing them back.

Wholesale changes could have been made for the Sharks but Pérez has gone for just three. Two of alterations come in the back-row. Leonardo Senatore and Pablo Matera are back with Benjamín Macome and Tomás Lezana making way for them.

In the backs Joaquin Tuculet is back to start at fullback. This sees Ramiro Moyano moving to the wing in place of Santiago Cordero. There is no spot for Cordero this week as Moroni has been selected as the replacement outside back. He and Hernández, also a replacement, are the fit-again backs involved. Both missed the South African tour.

The Sharks have also gone for changes. Named at inside center is Jeremy Ward. He starts in place of the suspended Andre Esterhuizen who was red carded for foul play last weekend.

Odwa Ndungane is back in the side, starting on the right wing while Michael Claassens is in for Cobus Reinach at scrum half.

An all-new front-row has been named. The props this weekend are to be Thomas du Toit and Lourens Adriaanse are the props with Chiliboy Ralepelle coming in to play at hooker. In the second-row Ruan Botha replaces Etienne Oosthuizen and Jean-Luc du Preez is back at flanker ahead of Tera Mtembu.

This Saturday’s fixture will be the fourth between Los Jaguares and the Sharks. The Durban-based side has won all three of the previous fixtures. All were narrow victories with the Sharks winning 18-13 in Durban on April 08, 25-22 in Buenos Aires last year and 19-15 in Durban in March 2016.

The sides enter this weekend’s match with Los Jaguares as the more attacking. The Buenos Aires side has scored 23 tries this season, seven more than the Sharks. Overall Los Jaguares have scored 210 points and the Sharks 203. The Sharks goal kicker, Curwin Bosch, is the leading point scorer this season in Super Rugby.

Nullifying the threat of Bosch will be at the center os Los Jaguares’ mission to win. Playing at home gives Los Jaguares the favorites tag. They must win the set-pieces and put on an 80 minute performance to come away with a win.

Only three players have started all matches this season for Los Jaguares. They are hooker Agustín Creevy and centers Jerónimo de la Fuente and Matías Orlando. Pérez has fielded a total of 33 players and the number is set to increase. Yet to play are Santiago Álvarez Fourcade, Gabriel Ascárate, Nicolás Freitas (Uruguay), Facundo Gigena, Juan Cruz Guillemaín, Landajo, Lavanini, Leguizamón, Montero and Tetaz Chaparro.

JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Bautista Ezcurra, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Rodrigo Báez, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Marcos Kremer, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (Capt.), 1 Lucas Noguera Paz

Replacements: 16 Roberto Tejerizo, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Ignacio Larrague, 20 Benjamín Macome, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Juan Martín Hernández, 23 Matías Moroni

SHARKS
15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Jeremy Ward, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt (Capt.), 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Ruan Botha, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Thomas du Toit

Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Tera Mtembu, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 23 Johan Deysel

Date: Saturday April 29
Venue: Vélez Sarsfield
Kick-off: 14:40pm local
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistants: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Santiago Borsani (Argentina)