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An impressive Brumbies performance was sufficient to down Los Jaguares in Buenos Aires this evening. The Australian side won 39-17, outscoring the home side by six tries to two.
In an extremely concerning performance, the Raúl Pérez coached side was throughly outplayed and exposed. The game plan fell flat and defensive frailties let the Australians score one try after another.
The continued chopping and changing of the starting lineup has contributed to the mammoth task of being competitive. The coaching though has seen questionable selection of players. Captain Agustín Creevy has started every match. He is to now lead Los Pumas against England and Georgia.
On the wing position there has been both the use of experienced players and fresh faces. Starting on the left wing this evening was Bautista Ezcurra. The former Los Pumas 7’s star had always played as an inside back but under Pérez he has been playing wing. Not for the first time his lack of execution in the position gave the opposition a try as a dropped high ball handed the Brumbies a gift score.
The try was the Brumbies’ third. It was scored by fullback Tom Banks who scored his second of the match. Ezcurra’s handling error was kicked through by flanker Chris Alcock with Banks grounding.
The Brumbies opening try came from Sam Carter. The second-rower went over from a rolling-maul, exposing a traditional strong point of Argentine rugby. Los Jaguares hit-back through Carter’s opposite. The fit-again Tomás Lavanini largest his way over to score in a two-man tackle.
The Brumbies made smart work of canceling it out. From a set-piece-move Banks entered with pace to latch onto a Joe Powell pass and cut inside Ezcurra. It made for a 20-10 half time lead for the Brumbies.
Henry Speight scored next, doing so in the 56th minute. His try sealed the result. Los Jaguares’ spirits were down but they needed to find resolve to avoid conceding further points.
Meanwhile the Brumbies went in for the kill. Replacement Andrew Moorhead found his way over for two late tries to further enforce the visitors impressive performance.
There was enough time remaining for Guido Petti to score a consolation try. The team, though, is yet to recover from the rock bottom of losing to the Western Force. The team has run out of steam and has now lost six of the past seven matches.
There is no time, however, to reflect on mistakes. Instead the June Internationals are now under two weeks away. Daniel Hourcade will name his roster either Sunday or Monday. It is to be 100% based on Jaguares players. With England and Georgia visiting there is no room for errors. The same players will be expected to produce entirely different results.
SCORERS
JAGUARES
Try: Lavanini, Petti
Conversion: González Iglesias
Penalty: Sánchez
Yellow Card: Creevy
BRUMBIES
Try: Carter, Banks (2), Speight, Muirhead (2)
Conversion: Hawera (3)
Penalty: Hawera
JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Batista Ezcurra, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Tomás Lezana, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Tomás Lavanini, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Lucas Noguera Paz
Replacements: 16 Julían Montoya, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Matías Moroni
BRUMBIES
15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Aidan Toua, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Jordan Smiler, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter (Capt.), 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 1 Ben Alexander
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 Muirhead, 23 Andrew Smith
