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Debutant Domingo Miotti inspired Los Jaguares to conquer Pretoria today. The replacement fly half came on in the 71st minute, doing so with the scores at 20-10 to the Bulls. His two late tries saw Los Jaguares completing a comeback to win 22-20.
The win as the first for Los Jaguares over the Bulls in Pretoria. It was also the third win overall from the Argentine side in South Africa. The prior wins came against teams no longer playing Super Rugby – the Cheetahs, and Southern Kings.
Today’s match was illustrative of the age-old saying that a game is never over until the final whistle. Throughout the game the Bulls were on top and it loomed as being a match in which Los Jaguares would be kept at bay.
Early signs were not positive. As has occurred in prior matches this year Los Jaguares were slow starters. They enabled field position for the Bulls and the South Africans would turn them into points. Fly half Manie Libbok would turn the Bulls territorial dominance into 9 first half points.
Los Jaguares were fortunate not to conceded more. But with their defense holding firm close to the line Libbok would line up penalties. Trailing 9-0 Los Jaguares would go into half time two points behind. They did so with flanker Pablo Matera making a clean break to score. Santiago González Iglesias converted to make it 9-7 at half-time.
In the second half Los Jaguares’ resolute defense was finally broken. Crossing was winger Jade Stighling who went over for his team’s only try. It was aided by the yellow-carding of veteran Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Stighling’s try made it a 20-10 scoreline. While it came in the 43rd minute it would be the only score until the final nine minutes of the match. What turned things around was the injection of Miotti.
In his first touch in Super Rugby Miotti dived over to touch down beside the corner flag. It was an impressive finish after smart work had been done by his fellow backs. Miotti would cap it off by landing the conversion.
Three minutes later and Miotti was in for his second try. Like the first, it was another memorable score. This time around the conversion was off-target. Yet it mattered not as Los Jaguares were 22-20 ahead thanks to aerial excellence from Emiliano Boffelli and Miotti’s score.
Los Jaguares will remain in South Africa for one further week. The Argentine side will travel to Durban to face the Sharks next Saturday.
SCORING
BULLS
Try: Stighling
Penalty: Libbok (5)
Yellow Card: Agaba, Van Vuuren
JAGUARES
Try: Matera, Miotti (2)
Conversion: González Iglesias, Miotti
Penalty: González Iglesias
Yellow Card: Tetaz Chaparro
TEAMS
BULLS
15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Dylan Sage, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jade Stighling, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen (capt.), 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Hanro Liebenberg, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Lizo Gqoboka
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Tim Agaba, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 JT Jackson, 23 Cornal Hendricks
JAGUARES
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matías Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Santiago González Iglesias, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Tomás Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Marcos Kremer, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Julián Montoya, 1 Mayco Vivas
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Rodrigo Bruni, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Joaquín Tuculet
