Match Preview – Jaguares vs Sunwolves

Coming off a four match losing streak Los Jaguares aim to turn things around on Saturday. The Buenos Aires Super Rugby franchise play host to the Sunwolves at Vélez Sarsfield.

Head Coach Raúl Pérez has gone for six changes. These begin up front with Lucas Noguera Paz making way for Santiago García Botta. At flanker Tomás Lezana is back after a rest to slot in place of Pablo Matera.

In the backs Juan Martín Hernández takes over from Nicolás Sánchez at fly half, the latter misses out through injury. Hernández will form a 10-12 combination with Santiago González Iglesias who fills the boots of Jerónimo de la Fuente. In doing so de la Fuente will have hist first game off all season. Initially named on the bench, Nicolás Sánchez will not play. This also sees Joaquín Díaz Bonilla covering fly half from the bench.

Additional changes see both wingers replaced. Ramiro Moyano is out for three weeks. He and Bautista Ezcurra have been replaced by Emiliano Boffelli and Santiago Cordero. This sees Matías Moroni again named as a replacement.

Moroni is to be joined by fellow Rugby World Cup players Matías Alemanno, Juan Manuel Leguizamon and Martín Landajo among the replacements. Of the three the latter two are to play Super Rugby for the first time this year.

The Sunwolves are to be captained by Timothy Lafaele. The Samoan-born Japanese international will play at inside center. Additional returning players include Takeshi Hino, Shota Emi, Kenki Fukuoka, Keisuke Uchida and Ryohei Yamanaka. Out through injury are Hayden Cripps, Teruya Goto, Heiichiro Ito, Takeshi Kizu and Fumiaki Tanaka. All are back in Japan.

The match is to be historic. It will be the first time the teams have met in Argentina and the second time overall. Based on results this year Los Jaguares enter as favorites. The Argentine side had 4 wins and 5 losses while the Sunwolves have 1 win and 8 losses.

The Sunwolves have worst defensive record this season. They have conceded 373 points including 51 tries.

JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Santiago González Iglesias, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Rodrigo Baez, 6 Tomás Lezana, 5 Marcos Kremer, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (Capt.), 1 Santiago Garcia Botta

Replacements: 16 Roberto Tejerizo, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Matias Moroni

SUNWOLVES
15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Shota Emi, 13 Will Tupou, 12 Timothy Lafaele (Capt.), 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Yuki Yatomi, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Shunsuke Nunomaki, 6 Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, 5 Uwe Helu, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Yasuo Yamaji, 2 Yusuke Niwai, 1 Koki Yamamoto

Replacements: 16 Takeshi Hino, 17 Keita Inagaki, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Shinya Makabe, 20 Ed Quirk, 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Jumpei Ogura, 23 Ryohei Yamanaka

Date: Saturday, May 6
Venue: Vélez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Kick-off: 6:40pm
Referee: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Santiago Borsani (Argentina)