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In a different than normal weekend for Los Jaguares the Argentine Super Rugby franchise will play a Friday fixture against the Hurricanes. The fixture will take place on Friday evening local time, making it an early Friday morning game for viewers in the Americas.
Both teams are playing good rugby in 2019. The Hurricanes are second overall with 40 competition points, 12 more than that of Los Jaguares at present. They have, however, played one more match than that of the Argentine franchise.
For the match Hurricanes Head Coach John Plumtree has gone for two changes to his starting line-up. Left out is Beauden Barrett, the starting New Zealand fly half. In his place James Marshall will have a start in the 10 shirt.
The second change comes in the forwards with Du’Plessis Kirifi named to start at flanker. He joins the All Blacks duo of Ardie Savea, and Vaea Fifita in forming the starting loose forward trio to take-on Los Jaguares.
Additional changes come on the bench. They include opportunities for Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Chris Eves, Fletcher Smith, and Salesi Rayasi.
Gonzalo Quesada’s line-up sees six changes made from the team that started against the Highlanders last weekend. Two of the alterations come in the front-row with Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, and Agustín Creevy replacing Mayo Vivas, and Julian Montoya respectively.
In the second-row Guido Petti, and Tomás Lavanini both return to start in place of Marcos Kremer, and Lucas Paulos. Both Kremer and Paulos have been named on the bench which sees options with the former also covering flanker.
The final change in the forwards sees Pablo Matera back to start with Tomás Lezana surprisingly left out of the 23 this weekend.
In the backs Tomás Cubelli returns to take-over from Felipe Ezcurra at scrum-half. He will form a 9-10 combination with Joaquín Díaz Bonilla which enables the possibility of a fresh Domingo Miotti fresh to start in game three and four of the tour to Oceania.
Both Ezcurra, and Domingo have been named on the bench as has regular starting outside center Matías Orlando. This sees Matías Moroni continuing at outside center, joining captain Jerónimo de la Fuente in the mid-field. de la Fuente’s battle against Ngani Laumape will be a must-see.
Friday’s match will be just the second time that Los Jaguares have played against the Hurricanes in New Zealand and the third time overall. The first clash was in the 2016 season with the Hurricanes winning 40-22 in Wellington. In 2018 they were 34-9 winners in Buenos Aires.
The competition standings, prior records, and home advantage point to a Hurricanes victory. The line-ups’s though do not paint a picture to suggest that the Argentine side is inferior. To the contrary Los Jaguares go in with a slight edge overall. The match looms as one which could go either way with Los Jaguares’ resting last weekend giving them the favorites tag to win by 3 points.
TEAMS
HURRICANES
1 Toby Smith, 2 Asafo Aumua, 3 Jeff To’omaga-Allen, 4 James Blackwell, 5 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6 Vaea Fifita, 7 Du’Plessis Kififi, 8 Ardie Savea, 9 TJ Perenara (capt.), 10 James Marshall, 11 Ben Lam, 12 Ngani Laumape, 13 Matt Proctor, 14 Wes Goosen, 15 Jordie Barrett
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Kane Le’aupepe, 20 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Fletcher Smith, 23 Salesi Rayasi
JAGUARES
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Sebastián Cancelliere, 15 Emiliano Boffelli
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Lucas Paulos, 20 Marcos Kremer, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Matías Orlando
Date: Friday, May 17
Venue: Westpac Stadium
Kick-off: 7:35pm local (4:35am Argentina)
Referee: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)
