Super Rugby Preview – Waratahs vs Jaguares

Game three of Los Jaguares’ four match tour of Oceania will take place on Saturday. The Argentine side will play in Sydney, Australia against the Waratahs. With both teams in contention for the play-off’s it is a vital fixture of Super Rugby.

The Waratahs are coached by former Crusaders, and All Blacks center Daryl Gibson. He has opted for continuation as he has named the strongest possible line-up to face Los Jaguares. The same starting XV that defeated the Reds away last weekend will thus take-on Los Jaguares.

Captaining the side from flanker will be veteran Wallaby Michael Hooper. He will be joined by a number of other Australian test players including halves Nick Phipps, and Bernard Foley; fullback Kurtley Beale; centers Karmichael Kunt, and Adam Ashley-Cooper, and forwards Sekope Kepu, Ned Hanigan, and Rob Simmons.

While Gibson is fielding his best side Gonzalo Quesada has opted for rotation. This is based on the needs of the players with there being three further matches yet to play, possible play-off’s and then international duty.

Quesada has an all-new front-row with Mayco Vivas, Julián Montoya, and Santiago Medrano starting. Marcos Kremer will start in the second-row rather than flanker to give Tomás Lavanini a rest; while Tomás Lezana replaces veteran Juan Manuel Leguizamón at flanker.

In the backs Domingo Miotti returns for Joaquín Díaz Bonilla at fly half. Further changes see Matías Orlando, and Santiago Carreras starting in place of Matías Moroni, and Sebastián Cancelliere respectively.

The match is game three of a four match tour to Oceania, but the first of two matches in Australia. Game one was a 32-27 defeat against the Highlanders, and game two saw a 28-20 win over the Hurricanes.

Saturday will mark the third match between the Waratahs, and Jaguares. The first was in 2017 with the best performance of their season seeing a 40-27 win in Sydney for Los Jaguares. In 2018 the teams met in Buenos Aires with Los Jaguares leading 26-0 before ultimately winning 38-28.

With history, and form on their side signs point to a Jaguares win in Sydney. The Waratahs are not helped by the Israel Folau controversy though they certainly have the means to win the match. Los Jaguares will need to play very well and are expected to do so. As such a Jaguares enter as favorites to win by 9 points.

 

TEAMS

WARATAHS
1 Tom Robertson, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 7 Michael Hooper (capt.), 8 Michael Wells, 9 Nick Phipps, 10 Bernard Foley, 11 Cameron Clark, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Alex Newsome, 15 Kurtley Beale

Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Chris Talakai, 19 Tom Staniforth, 20 Will Miller, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Lalakai Foketi, 23 Curtis Rona

JAGUARES
1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Tomás Lezana, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Domingo Miotti, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Santiago Carreras, 15 Emiliano Boffelli

Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Matías Moroni

Date: Saturday, May 25
Kick-Off: 7:45pm (Local), 6:45am (Argentina)
Venue: Bankwest Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Egon Seconds (South Africa), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
TMO: Ian Smith (Australia)