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Los Jaguares’ four match tour to Oceania begins on Saturday. At 2:15am Argentine time the national Super Rugby franchise will take-on the Highlanders in Dunedin, New Zealand.
The match marks the first time that the Highlanders have played host to Los Jaguares. The home side goes into the match with five changes to their side compared to that which faced the Chiefs last weekend.
In the forwards front-rowers Ayden Johnstone, and Siate Tokolahi have been named to start ahead of Daniel Lienert-Brown, and Tyrel Lomax both of whom will feature as replacements. In the second-row Josh Dickson starts with All Black Liam Squire among the replacements.
The backline sees additional changes, notably that of All Black fullback Ben Smith missing due to injury. He has been replaced by Matt Faddes who joins Jordan Hyland in the back-three with the latter having his second start on the right wing.
In the mid-field Teihorangi Walden drops out which sees Patelesio Tomkinson partnering Rob Thompson as the starting center combination. Meanwhile Dan Hollinshead will make his debut from the bench for the Highlanders.
Gonzalo Quesada has heavily rotated his team with nine changes to the starting line-up from last Saturday’s match against the Stormers. An all-new front-row will start with Mayco Vivas and Enrique Pieretto taking over from Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, and Santiago Medrano as the props and Agustín Creevy making way for Julián Montoya at hooker.
The second-row is also new with Marcos Kremer moving from flanker to lock the scrum. Joining Kremer will be debutant Lucas Paulos. With it Los Jaguares will start a match without Matías Alemanno, Tomás Lavanini, and Guido Petti in the second-row for the first time since 2017.
Not only has Kremer changed position but Pablo Matera has been semi-rested this week. This sees veteran Juan Manuel Leguizamón named to start on the side of the scrum. He joins Tomás Lezana who moves from N8 with Javier Desio Ortega getting a rare start despite having held down the position throughout 2018.
There is a double change in the halves with Tomás Cubelli, and Domingo Miotti both on the bench for strategic purposes. This sees Felipe Ezcurra and Joaquín Díaz Bonilla starting as the Hindú pair will now start together in Super Rugby. Elsewhere Matías Moroni is in for Matías Orlando at outside center.
The only prior fixture between the Highlanders and Jaguares was in the 2016 season. It saw the Argentine side falling to a 34-8 home defeat in Buenos Aires. Since then the conference system has meant that the teams did not compete against one-another in 2017, or 2018.
The Highlanders have a season record of 4 wins, 2 draws, and 5 defeats. By way of comparison Los Jaguares have 6 wins and 4 defeats. Despite their changes they are settled, having also played in Dunedin last weekend. Los Jaguares’ changes are rotation having made the long trip across the Andes and Pacific Ocean on Sunday. The Highlanders enter as favorites to win by 5 points.
TEAMS
HIGHLANDERS
1 Ayden Johnstone, 2 Liam Coltman, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 4 Josh Dickson, 5 Tom Franklin, 6 Luke Whitelock (capt.), 7 James Lentjes, 8 Elliot Dixon, 9 Aaron Smith, 10 Josh Ioane, 11 Tevita Li, 12 Patelesio Tomkinson, 13 Rob Thompson, 14 Jordan Hyland, 15 Matt Faddes
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Daniel Hollinshead, 23 Thomas Umaga-Jensen
JAGUARES
1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 4 Marcos Kremer, 5 Lucas Paulos, 6 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 7 Tomás Lezana, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Felipe Ezcurra, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Sebastián Cancelliere, 15 Emiliano Boffelli
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Matías Orlando
Date: Saturday, May 11
Kick-Off: 5:15pm (local), 2:15am (Argentina)
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand),
TMO: Shane McDermott (New Zealand), James Doleman (New Zealand)
