Jaguares Down Waratahs in Style

Los Jaguares claimed their opening Super Rugby win of 2018, downing the Waratahs 38-28 this evening. The final score was a ten point win though the Argentine team had been 33-7 ahead at half time.

So impressive were Los Jaguares in the opening half that they had a 26-0 lead within the opening quarter. It was the most points conceded by the Waratahs in eleven years.

It took no time for Los Jaguares to begin their scoring. In the opening minute of the match Emiliano Boffelli crossed. The try was from the opening attack of the match and would be the first of two from Boffelli in the match.

Try number two from Boffelli came in the 10th minute of play. It had the Waratahs well and truly rattled. With Nicolás Sánchez converting Los Jaguares had quickly established a 14-0 lead.

Four minutes later and Los Jaguares had their third. Scoring from fullback was Joaquín Tuculet as everything was going right for the South Americans. Sánchez would land the conversion before then scoring a try of his own. With it Los Jaguares had 26 points and the game was over after 18 minutes.

The Waratahs’ would score next and go on to win the remainder of the match. The first Waratahs try went to no 8 Jed Holloway. Bernard Foley added the extras and he would also convert the three other scores from the New South Wales state side.

Los Jaguares responded to Holloway’s score through Bautista Delguy. The rookie was a bright light in the opening two rounds in South Africa and further eased concerns surrounding the situation of Jaguares wingers.

Sánchez would fail to convert Delguy’s try. With it the half time siren went off with Los Jaguares ahead 33-7.

In the second half the Waratahs found ways to cut down on Los Jaguares’ lead. They would, however, not be within reach of turning around the scoreline to win the match. Their opening try of the half saw winger Curtis Rona cutting through the defense.

A period of some twenty-five minutes followed without any points being added. Los Jaguares had come close with, on one occasion, replacement winger Sebastián Cancelliere knocking-on over the try line.

A try followed shortly thereafter as Los Jaguares took a 5 meter scrum from a penalty. The set-piece move resulted in outside center Matías Orlando scrooge for his first try of 2018.

Orlando’s try was in the 73rd minute. With it Los Jaguares had a bonus point. Yet two tries in the final two minutes from the Waratahs saw Los Jaguares claiming the win but missing out on a bonus point. Scoring late were replacement Nick Palmer and fullback Israel Folau.

The victory comes when it was needed most. Celebration time, though, will have to wait as Los Jaguares have another home match in seven days time. They are to face another Australian side, this time the Reds.

 

SCORING

JAGUARES
Try: Boffelli (2), Tuculet, Delguy, Sánchez, Orlando
Conversion: Sánchez (4)

WARATAHS
Try: Holloway, Rona, Palmer, Folau
Conversion: Foley (4)

JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Santiago González Iglesias, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera (capt.), 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Matías Alemanno, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Felipe Arregui

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere

WARATAHS
15 Israel Folau, 14 Alex Newsome, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Curtis Rona, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Jed Holloway, 7 Michael Hooper (capt.), 6 Michael Wells, 5 Tom Staniforth, 4 Ned Hanigan, 3 Paddy Ryan, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Tom Robertson

Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Kalivati Tawake, 19 Nick Palmer, 20 Will Miller, 21 Nick Duffy, 22 Bryce Hegarty, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro