Match Preview – Jaguares vs Brumbies

Los Jaguares meet the Brumbies for the first time. Saturday’s Super Rugby match comes as the June Internationals are rapidly approaching. It is a late opportunity for players from both teams to press for places in Los Pumas and the Wallabies.

Coming off the worst Jaguares display on record, Head Coach Raúl Pérez has changed half his team. Seven alterations have been made, the most notable sees Tomás Lavanini starting for the first time since August.

Lavanini’s injury against South Africa saw him requiring knee reconstruction. It deprived Argentina of one of the country’s best players for eight test matches. His return sees Guido Petti benched as Pérez has opted for size as Matías Alemanno partners Lavanini.

Additional changes in the pack see Benjamín Macome and Santiago García Botta making way for Leonardo Senatore and Lucas Noguera Paz respectively. With it Pérez is starting close to the strongest possible side. The one talking point being whether Alemanno or Petti ought to start for Los Pumas against England.

In the backs Nicolás Sánchez, Matías Orlando, Jerónimo De la Fuente and Ramiro Moyano all return. They do so in place of Juan Martín Hernández, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Matías Moroni and Santiago Cordero.

Brumbies Head Coach Stephen Larkham has kept the faith following last weekend’s win in Port Elizabeth. Tom Banks will again start at fullback with Aidan Toua on the wing. In the pack veteran Ben Alexander will equal the most-capped Brumbies record when he plays for the 142nd time.

Larkham has no shortage of Wallabies in his lineup. The powerful second-row combination of Sam Carter and Rory Arnold will be joined by the ever-consistent Scott Fardy at flanker. In the backs Kyle Godwin, Tevita Kuridrani and Henry Speight are all likely to play for Australia in June.

The Brumbies have four wins and seven losses this season. Los Jaguares’ record is five wins and six losses. Los Jaguares’ defeat to the Western Force was the first time in which the team has been tryless in a Super Rugby match.

The Brumbies lead the Australian conference while Los Jaguares are third in their African conference. This is misleading though as on overall points Los Jaguares have 24 and the Brumbies 23. Home advantage, a side packed with Pumas and a better, overall, season gives Los Jaguares the edge.

JAGUARES
1 Lucas Noguera Paz, Agustín Creevy, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 4 Matías Alemanno, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Tomás Lezana, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 9 Martín Landajo, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Bautista Ezcurra, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 15 Joaquín Tuculet

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Juan Martín Hernández, 23 Matías Moroni

BRUMBIES
1 Ben Alexander, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 4 Rory Arnold, 5 Sam Carter (Capt.) 6 Scott Fardy, 7 Chris Alcock, 8 Jordan Smiler, 9 Joe Powell, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 11 Aidan Toua, 12 Kyle Godwin, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 14 Henry Speight, 15 Tom Banks

Replacements: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Nic Mayhew, 18 Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, 19 Blake Enever, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 De Wet Roos, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Andrew Muirhead

Date: Saturday, May 27
Venue: Vélez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Kickoff: 18:40 local
Referee: Fraser Brown (New Zealand)
Assistants: Federico Anselmi (Argentina) & José Covasi (Argentina)
TMO: Santiago Borsani