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Los Jaguares outclassed the Warathas in Sydney this morning, winning 40-27. The five tries to three triumph would arguably been bigger had the Argentine side not been down to 13 men late in the first half.
Prior to the yellow carding of second-rower Benjamín Macome and Guido Petti Los Jaguares led 25-3. The pair would return with the match much changed at 25-24.
The result was about much more than winning. It was preparation for the Rugby Championship. Since having joined the competition in 2012 Los Pumas are yet to win in Australia. Today’s victory was therefore the first in the career of the players on Australian soil.
The same players are those who Daniel Hourcade will use in this year’s Rugby Championship. The one non-Jaguar is going to be Tomás Cubelli of the Brumbies.
Los Jaguares played well offensively against the Waratahs. This has, overall, not been much of a problem for Raúl Pérez’ men. Unlike in previous matches tries were not leaked. The South Americans defended far better than they have done this season.
Also on Los Jaguares side in Sydney was goal kicking. Having struggled to find his radar against the Southern Kings fly Half Nicolás Sánchez slotted 15 points this morning.
It was Sánchez who opened the scoring. The Tucumán no. 10 landed an early penalty. Pumas regulars Pablo Matera and Matías Orlando then both scored to give Los Jaguares a 15-0 lead in the 11th minute.
Both scores were the result of enterprising play. Matera’s score was on the back of a clean break from Petti. Quick hands, including a pass off the deck from Macome, saw Matera sprinting clear. Sánchez broke clear from a ruck to combine with Orlando for another long-range score.
Bernard Foley got the Waratahs on the board. His penalty was deducted by Sánchez in the 26th minute. Foley would score more points but not before Los Jaguares at their third try. It came from Macome who provided support to an advancing maul to score never the left corner.
Magic from Israel Folau gave the Waratahs their opening try. The 37th minute score was a try out of nothing. The Wallabies fullback demonstrated just how talented he is to gather a cross-kick and score despite being well marked by multiple Jaguares.
The Waratahs soon added their second, doing so with Los Jaguares numerically disadvantaged. Foley opened the second half by breaking clear. His 41st minute try saw him breaking clear of a Matera tackle. Three minutes later he had a double. This time Matías Moroni and Juan Manuel Leguizamón were unable to tackle him.
The Waratahs resolve had made it a one point game. Agustin Creevy saw the visitors scoring in response. An advancing maul saw the captain touching down in the 55th minute. Los Jaguares sealed the result 12 minutes later. An individual try from Moroni gave the team their best result of 2017.
SCORERS
WARATAHS
Try: Folau, Foley (2)
Conversion: Foley (2)
Penalty: Foley (3)
Yellow Card: Hanigan
For Jaguares:
Try: Matera, Orlando, Macome, Creevy, Moroni
Conversion: Sánchez (3)
Penalty: Sánchez (3)
Yellow Card: Macome, Petti
WARATAHS
15 Israel Folau, 14 Bryce Hegarty, 13 Rob Horne, 12 David Horwitz, 11 Cam Clark, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Michael Hooper (Capt.), 6 Jack Dempsey, 5 Dean Mumm, 4 Ned Hanigan, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tolu Latu, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Paddy Ryan, 18 Angus Taavao, 19 David McDuling, 20 Ryan McCauley, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 23 Andrew Kellaway
JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Matías Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerome de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Benjamin Macome, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Agustin Creevy (Capt.), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Ramiro Herrera, 19 Ignacio Larrague, 20 Rodrigo Báez, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Santiago Cordero
