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The 2019 Super Rugby Final is to be like none from ever before. The ground-breaking deciding fixture sees the most successful team in tournament history hosting Argentina’s first professional rugby side.
The Crusaders are looking for a three-peat of Super Rugby titles. Victory over Los Jaguares would also see them claiming their 10th overall championship in Super Rugby.
The Crusaders Head Coach Scott Robertson has made two changes from the Semi Final winning team over the Hurricanes. They are split between the forwards and backs and both see an All Black missing out on playing in the final.
In the forwards the change comes in the second-row with Mitchell Dunshea named to start in place of the injured Scott Barrett. In the backs Ryan Crotty will be replaced in the centers by Braydon Ennor.
Dunshea has been preferred to All Black Luke Romano who will feature from the bench. Dunce will partner another All Black, Samuel Whitelock in locking the scrum.
Goznalo Quesada has gone for three changes to his side compared to that which defeated the Brumbies last Friday. They come in the form of Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Marcos Kremer, and Ramiro Moyano.
Tetaz Chaparro is back to start in place of Mayco Vivas at loose head. It is a tactical move made with an eye to the powerful Crusaders scrum which has All Blacks Owen Franks, and Joe Moody as the starting props.
Kremer is back at flanker after Tomás Lezana started against the Brumbies. The change brings with it a bench with no specialist second-rower. Instead both Lezana and Juan Manuel Leguizamón will be covering flanker with Kremer moving to lock if required.
Moyano made his return from injury last Friday. Having been out since the tour to Oceania he is now to start on the left wing with Matías Moroni moving to the right in place of Sebastián Cancelliere.
The Jaguares and Crusaders have played on just two prior occasions. The first match was in Los Jaguares’ inaugural Super Rugby campaign in 2016. Played in Christchurch, the Crusaders won 32-15 in what was a round 8 fixture. Game two was a 40-14 win for the Crusaders in Buenos Aires in 2018.
Los Jaguares last defeat was in New Zealand. It came against the Highlanders in round thirteen. Since then the Argentine side has won seven consecutive matches. The Crusaders have never lost a play-off match at home. Furthermore their last home defeat was 30 games ago yet their most recent defeat was last month, losing 40-27 against the Chiefs in Fiji.
The two best teams from 2019 are without doubt those who will contest the Super Rugby Final. Of them either side has the means to win the title though it is the Crusaders who enter with the favorites tag. They go into the final as favorites to win a tight battle by 3 points.
TEAMS
CRUSADERS
1 Joe Moody, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Mitchell Dunshea, 5 Samuel Whitelock (capt.), 6 Whetu Douglas, 7 Matt Todd, 8 Kieran Read, 9 Bryn Hall, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 11 George Bridge, 12 Jack Goodhue, 13 Braydon Ennor, 14 Sevu Reece, 15 David Havili
Replacements: 16 Andrew Makalio, 17 George Bower, 18 Michael Alaalatoa, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Jordan Taufua, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Will Jordaan
JAGUARES
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 15 Emiliano Boffelli
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere
DATE:
Kick-Off: 4:30am (Argentina)
Venue: Rugby League Park, Christchurch
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
