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An error-ridden performance from Los Jaguares saw the Argentine side falling to the Lions to open the 2019 Super Rugby campaign. The South African side’s 25-16 victory was their first win over Los Jaguares in Argentina.
A lack of warm-up fixtures appeared to have harmed Los Jaguares. The Argentine side was far from being at the level expected. With regular unforced errors opportunities were missed and the Lions were able to make them pay.
The star of the match was flanker Marnus Schoeman. He would open the scoring, busting over for an early try. Elton Jantjies would be unsuccessful at landing the conversion.
The home side would recover from the early conceded try to go ahead. Landing two back-to-back penalties was Joaquín Díaz Bonilla. He would also converted a try scored by Santiago Medrano to give Los Jaguares a 13-5 lead.
With the first half coming to a close Jantjies would add further points for the visitors. A penalty and a conversion from Schoeman’s second try saw the Lions going into half time with a 15-13 advantage.
In the second half Los Jaguares went close to scoring straight away. Rodrigo Bruni crossed for a disallowed try due to obstruction. Not only were the Lions let off but they would turn it around to score at the other end of the field with Schoeman completing a hat-trick.
The try saw the Lions leading 22-13 and appearing out of range. Los Jaguares would have further try scoring opportunities only for error-ridden play to cost them with regularity. A clean break from Marcos Kremer ought to have resulted in try only for fellow replacement, Matías Alemanno to knock-on.
Ultimately Díaz Bonilla and Gantries would trade penalties in the remaining scoring of the match. With it the Lions recorded their first win in Buenos Aires, doing so by three tries to one.
Gonzalo Quesada’s side will remain at home to face the Bulls next weekend. The Lions travel to Cape Town to take-on the Stormers.
SCORING
JAGUARES 16
Tries – S. Medrano
Cons – J. Díaz Bonilla
Pens – J. Díaz Bonilla 3
LIONS 25
Tries – M. Schoeman 3
Cons – E. Jantjies 2
Pens – E. Jantjies 2
TEAMS
JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 9 Gonzalo Bertrnaou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Rodrigo Bruni, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Mayco Vivas
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Marcos Kremer, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Juan Cruz Mallía, 23 Matías Moroni
LIONS
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Warren Whiteley (capt.), 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Rhyno Herbst, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith
Replacements: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Frans Van Wyk, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Robert Kruger, 21 Gianni Lombard, 22 Wandisile Simelane, 23 Ruan Combrinck
