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Los Jaguares came out 30-25 winners today over the Stormers in Buenos Aires. The victory was the fourth consecutive win from the Argentine Super Rugby team, putting them in good stead ahead of their tour to Oceania.
The Argentine side were handed a last minute compilation. Captain Jerónimo de la Fuente was forced to withdraw. Without him Gonzalo Quesada shuffled the backs – Matías Orlando moved to inside center and would be captain; Matías Moroni moved to outside center; Sebastián Cancelliere was elevated from the bench; and Juan Cruz Mallía took over the vacancy from Cancelliere.
On the field the match saw a swift start from Los Jaguares. In just the 4th minute of play flanker Pablo Matera continued his excellent season, scoring the game’s opening try. He did so after net work from Domingo Miotti put Emiliano Boffelli into a gap before the fullback linked with Matera.
Miotti converted the try and six minutes later would strike again, this time landing a penalty. With it Los Jaguares held a 10-0 lead.
The Stormers responded through Jean-Luc du Plessis. The Stormers fly half landed three penalties to make it a one point game. Los Jaguares, though, would score once more in the opening half as Miotti landed a penalty to make it 13-9.
The Stormers would hit back with another penalty before the returning Ramiro Moyano crossed in the left corner to score in the 51st minute. The try, converted by Miotti, again saw Boffelli providing the assist.
Fullback Damian Willemse would land a difficult penalty to make it a 20-15 scoreline. His strike would be the 5th penalty from the South Africans and his first of two. It was on the back of impressive discipline from the Stormers.
Yet ill-discipline would cost them shortly thereafter. A break from Miotti saw him pass for Cancelliere who was unmarked and set for a certain try. Stormers outside center JJ Engelbrecht slapped down the pass which saw Los Jaguares awarded a 72nd minute penalty try and Engelbrecht yellow carded.
An impressive break from replacement scrum-half Justin Phillips five minute from full-time saw the Stormers setting-up a nail-bitting finish. Phillips would run from half way to the Jaguars’ 22 meter line before passing to Dillyn Leyds. The left winger could have scored but instead passed to Seabelo Senatla for the try.
The Stormers would have a chance at winning. However, it was not to be as Guido Petti stole a lineout from which Felipe Ezcurra kicked into touch to confirm full-time.
There is little time for celebration as Los Jaguares now fly to New Zealand. They are to play against the Highlanders next weekend in Dunedin in their first of a four match tour. Subsequent matches are against the Hurricanes in Wellington; Warratahs in Sydney, Australia; and Reds in Brisbane, Australia.
SCORERS
JAGUARES (30)
Try: Matera, Moyano, Penalty Try
Conversion: Miotti (2)
Penalty: Miotti (3)
Yellow Card: Matera
STORMERS (25)
Try: Senatla
Conversion: Willemse
Penalty: Du Plessis (4), Willemse (2)
Yellow Card: Engelbrecht
TEAMS
JAGUARES
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Sebastián Cancelliere, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Matías Orlando (capt.), 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Tomás Lezana, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Rodrigo Bruni, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Juan Cruz Mallía
STORMERS
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Kobus van Dyk, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 JD Schickerling , 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (capt.)
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Johan du Toit, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Damian de Allende, 23 Seabelo Senatla
