Sharp Jaguares Continue Winning Ways

A sharp performance from Los Jaguares saw the team continue their winning ways this evening. The Argentine Super Rugby franchise ran out 54-24 winners in Buenos Aires scoring seven tries to three.

The try differential between the sides means that, for the first time in 2018, Los Jaguares secured a bonus point victory. In claiming five competition points Los Jaguares now have 29 points for the season and on current positions would qualify for the play-off’s, a first in franchise history.

Los Jaguares’ performance was inspiring against the Bulls. They won by scoring more tries and finished with thirty more points than the South Africans. The win took patience, a hallmark of Mario Ledesma’s transition of the team.

At half time Los Jaguares held a 20-10 lead, doing so thanks to scoring their second try on the stroke of half time. Crossing was Bautista Delguy, a player yet to be capped by Los Pumas.

Delguy would score a double in the match, the one player to do so. His score saw him finishing off strong work from the forwards and getting good ball from the French-Bound Nicolás Sánchez. His try would be the only points not scored by Sánchez in the opening half.

Sánchez opened the scoring the opening try. The 7th minute score came after Delguy went within a meter of scoring himself. Quick ball saw Sánchez straight through to dive over for a simple try. He would add the conversion.

The Bulls hit back four minutes later. Following a break from Jesse Kriel recycled ball saw Warrick Gelant darting between Agustín Creevy and Sebastián Cancelliere to score. Handré Pollard converted to make it a 7-7 scoreline.

A penalty to Pollard and two to Sánchez saw Los Jaguares leading 13-10 when the half time siren went off. As it sounded Creevy drove forward. Gonzalo Bertranou passed from the base of the ruck to Sánchez who found Delguy. The Pucará flier stepped to find a way through four Bulls players to score.

Seven minutes into the second half and Los Jaguares were in firm control. Having returned from deep in  Jaguares territory, Delguy got the ball back into the Bulls half. Phases followed with Marcos Kremer ultimately scoring. The flanker barged his way past four defenders to score.

Delguy scored next, getting a gift try in the right corner. It was the hard yards which again opened the scoring opportunity. Once within range Bertranou and Sánchez combined, the latter throwing a long cut-out pass which Delguy gladly turned into a try.

Bertranou would feature prominently once again for the next score. From the base of a scrum he picked up and ran only to pass to Jerónimo de la Fuente putting the Rosarian threw the defensive line. Support from Sánchez and Matías Orlando followed with the latter touching down.

Orlando’s score gave Los Jaguares a 42-10 lead. With bonus points to win won or lost the Bulls would not give in. They struck back with two tries of their own. Nicholas de Jager scored from a rolling maul while Andre Warner gathered a cross-kick to score without a Jaguar nearby.

In between the Bulls’ scores Los Jaguares added another. Sebastián Cancelliere scored what was a team try involving eight players touching the ball in the one phase. The final try came in the 80th minute with fullback Emiliano Boffelli dotting down after slick hands from Sánchez and Cancelliere.

Both teams play again next weekend. Los Jaguares play host to the Sharks while the Bulls return home to play host to the Brumbies.

SCORING

JAGUARES 54
Try: Sánchez, Delguy (2), Kremer, Orlando, Cancelliere, Bofffelli
Conversion: Sánchez (5)
Penalty: Sánchez (3)

BULLS 24
Try: Gelant, de Jager, Warner
Conversion: Pollard, Libbok
Penalty: Pollard

JAGUARES
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Sebastián Cancelliere, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Tomás Lezana (capt.), 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Santiago García Botta

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Javier Díaz, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Bautista Ezcurra, 23 Juan Cruz Mallía

BULLS
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Handre Pollard (capt.), 11 John-Ben Kotze, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Roelof Smit, 5 Rudolph Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Trevor Nyakane.

Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Nqobisizwe Mxoli, 18 Frans van Wyk, 19 Hendre Stassen, 20 Nicholas de Jager, 21 Andre Warner, 22 John Jackson, 23 Divan Rossou

Attendance: 12,352