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Following on from their two matches in Australia Los Jaguares continue their Oceania tour with their first of two matches in New Zealand. They are to play at the spiritual home of New Zealand rugby, Eden Park taking on the Auckland Blues on Saturday.
Under-pressure Blues Head Coach Tana Umaga has made numerous changes to his side. These include Patrick Tuipulotu and TJ Faiane dropping out through illness and injury respectively. The All Blacks 2017 try-scoring machine, Rieko Ioane moves to center to cover for Faiane.
Starting on Ioane’s vacant wing spot is Tumua Manu while an additional change in the back-three sees Matt Duffie playing fullback. Last week’s Blues’ fullback was Stephen Perofeta but this week he will play fly half, doing so in place of Bryn Gatland, the son of Wales’ Head Coach.
Up front Umaga has also made changes. At tighthead Sione Mafileo earns a start while there is an opportunity for Leni Apisai as the team’s replacement hooker. Meanwhile both second-rowers Tuipulotu and Jimmy Tupou are to miss out on facing Los Jaguares. Their places in the side will be taken by Gerard Cowley-Tuioti and Josh Goodhue.
Los Jaguares have had one day less than normal to prepare for the match. Their game against the Brumbies was a rare Sunday clash. From there they travelled to Auckland via Sydney.
Head Coach Mario Ledesma has made four changes, two of which are injury motivated. Captain Pablo Matera has returned to Argentina while Ramiro Moyano is following protocol and cannot face the Blues. With Matera out for a potentially long period Ledesma has handed the captaincy to fullback Joaquin Tuculet.
Matera’s absence sees a new-look back-row. Marcos Kremer remains in the 7 shirt while Javier Ortega Desio moves from no 8 to play on the other flank. Veteran Leonardo Senatore returns to start at the back of the scrum while the fit-again Tomás Lezana has been named on the bench.
The remaining change to the pack sees Tomás Lavanini dropping to the bench with Matías Alemano starting alongside Guido Petti. It is strictly rotation from Ledesma.
In the backs Bautista Delguy replaces Moyano on the right wing while Martín Landajo comes in for Gonzalo Bertranou. For Landajo it is his second start of the season and comes with Tomás Cubelli now back to fitness. Bertranou and Sebastián Cancelliere are the changes to the replacement backs.
This Saturday’s match-up will be just the second between the franchises. Their prior match was played in 2016, also in Auckland. The Blues won 24-16 in a match in which Gonzalo Bertranou scored Los Jaguares’ only try.
The Blues are under heavy criticism. With two wins and six losses from their eight matches thus far the Auckland side is easily occupying bottom spot of the New Zealand conference. The Blues have 12 points while the Highlanders, one place above them, have 24.
Los Jaguares have 16 points with four wins and five losses. They go into the match following back-to-back wins over the Rebels and Brumbies in Australia. The Blues lost at home against the Highlanders last weekend.This combined with their mass of personal changes and Los Jaguars’ form make the visitors favorites to win the match.
BLUES
15 Matt Duffie, 14 Jordan Hyland, 13 Orbyn Leger, 12 Rieko Ioane, 11 Tumua Manu, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Jonathan Ruru, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Kara Pryor, 6 Dalton Papalii, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons (capt.), 1 Pauliasi Manu
Replacements: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Ross Wright, 18 Mike Tamoaieta, 19 Ben Nee-Nee, 20 Lyndon Dunshea, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Dan Kirkpatrick, 23 Terrence Hepetema
JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet (capt.), 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Javier Ortega Desio, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Santiago García Botta
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Javier Díaz, 18 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Bautista Ezcurra, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere
Date: Saturday April 28
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 7:35pm local (4:35am Argentina)
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand), Cam Stone (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
