Jaguares Facing Injury Crisis

It is just five rounds into the season but Los Jaguares are facing an injury crisis. A total of ten players are now injured, of whom nine are commonly regarded as being the leading player in their respective position.

The loss of players compounds the problem that Gonzalo Quesada is tasked to resolving – winning matches. The Argentine Super Rugby side has two wins and three losses from the opening five rounds of the season.

Round six will be a bye round of Los Jaguares, thereby enabling Quesada’s roster the potential of mending before their round seven match against the Chiefs. It comes as at a welcomed time not only to have a recovered roster but to have time for combinations to soundly develop.

The loss of Gonzalo Bertranou after just one round changed the structure of play. He had been the starting no 9 and this was likely to be the plan for the majority of the campaign. Tomás Cubelli is now the favored starter in his place.

Behind Cubelli is fellow veteran Martín Landajo. The duo were the only two men to play scrum-half under Daniel Hourcade’s tenure (2013-2018) as Pumas Head Coach. Like Bertranou, Felipe Ezcurra was considered though never used. Quesada may now be set to add the Argentina XV no 9 to his roster as Landajo went down after a blow to his jaw against the Stormers yesterday.

Captain Jerónimo de la Fuente missed the tour to South Africa while Matías Orlando toured but failed to play. The pairing had been the starting centers in rounds one and two with de la Fuente injured against the Bulls and replaced by Orlando at 12 against the Blues.

With both de la Fuente and Orlando out of action Bautista Ezcurra started in South Africa with Santiago González Iglesias not selected. Ezcurra did so in tandem with Matías Moroni was among the leading backs in South Africa.

Unfortunately for Los Jaguares Moroni collided with winger Bautista Delguy against the Stormers. The impact caused Delguy to leave the match early to be treated. Exams have shown that he did not suffer a fracture to his ankle yet he is in doubt to face the Chiefs.

Delguy was replaced by Sebastián Cancelliere who, like Ezcurra, did not make the most of his opportunity. Both players were outperformed, begging the question of their potential involvement later on in the year for Argentina.

Also on tour was Emiliano Boffelli. He started against the Lions only to be forced off within the opening quarter. It was his first match of the campaign and he would be unable to face the Stormers. He remains under a question mark to face the Chiefs which may see a call-up for Santiago Carreras from the Argentina XV.

Ruled out before the tour was former captain Agustín Creevy. In his absence Julián Montoya started while Gaspar Baldunciel made his Jaguares debut as Montoya’s replacement. Creevy’s potential of returning to face the Chiefs is low.

Injured since October is Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. The regular partner of Creevy in the front-row, Tetaz Chaparro’s return remains clouded. Quesada has promoted rookie Mayco Vivas ahead of Santiago García Botta to join Santiago Medrano as the first-choice props without him.

Leading second-rower Tomás Lavanini  went down with a shoulder injury against the Stormers. He joined Marcos Kremer on the sidelines, a situation which sees two leading defenders currently out of action. This sees Los Jaguares facing a clear injury crisis and may mean an opportunity for rookie Franco Molina who played in the ARC for thew Argentina XV.