Jaguares start 2020 with bonus point win over Lions

Los Jaguares started 2020 with a bonus point win over the Lions. The 38-8 victory included a double to Matías Moroni and additional tries to Domingo Miotti, Javier Ortega Desio, and Agustín Creevy.

After a competitive opening half, Los Jaguares dominated the second half to complete a comfortable victory. The test match packed bench was pivotal in the outcome, yet the impact came very early.

In just the fifth minute Los Jaguares lost Joaquín Díaz Bonilla. The fly half took a knock from which he was unable to recover from, which saw Domingo Miotti injected early. The replacement went on to be one of the best performers and claimed the opening try.

The Lions hit back through Elton Jantjies. In his only points of the match, the Springbok landed an 18th minute penalty. Jantjies missed penalty attempts and also failed to convert his team’s one try. It was scored by Andre Warner in the 21st minute and is certain to be one of the most memorable of the season.

In unlikely circumstance, the try came from inside the Lions own 22. Len Massyn found a way down the sideline before passes connected and Warner dotted the ball down. It put the Lions in the lead, although Miotti would respond seven minutes later with a penalty.

Leading 10-8 at the interval, Los Jaguares needed a better performance in the second half to complete the win. They would succeed in doing so as Matías Moroni scored a double. His sidestepping got him over as having a winger outside him enabled him to play his natural game as a center.

Moroni’s try put Los Jaguares in a comfortable position. Getting there involved solid work from the forwards with Francisco Gorrissen and Guido Petti among the top performers, while Marcos Kremer was a rock in defense.

The tactical kicking of Miotti was also a feature. His precision was something rarely seen as he pin-pointe space over players to find touch, reminiscent of the great Juan Martín Hernández.

Flanker Rodrigo Bruni played well from the bench as did the try scorers Ortega Desio and Creevy. Also making a mark was debutant Joel Sclavi. Demonstrating his years in France, the tight head came on to improve the scrum dramatically.

Los Jaguares remain in Buenos Aires for round two when they take-on the Hurricanes. The Lions fly home to replace to face the Reds in Johannesburg.

 

SCORING

JAGUARES (38)
Try: Miotti (9′), Moroni (48′, 59′), Ortega Desio (68′), Creevy (73′)
Conversion: Miotti (9′, 48′, 59′, 68′, 73′ )
Penalty: Miotti (28′)
Yellow Card: Kremer

LIONS (8)
Try: Warner
Penalty: Jantjies

 

TEAMS

JAGUARES
1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Lucas Paulos, 6 Francisco Gorrissen, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Tomás Lezana, 9 Tomás Cubelli (capt.), 10 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 12 Juan Cruz Mallía, 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Santiago Carreras

Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Javier Ortega Desio, 20 Rodrigo Bruni, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Matías Orlando

LIONS
1 Dylan Smith, 2 Pieter Jansen, 3 Janne du Plessis, 4 Ruben Schoemann, 5 Marvin Drie, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 8 Len Massyn, 9 Andre Warner, 10 Elton Jantjies, 11 Cournall Skosan, 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Duncan Matthews, 14 Tyrone Green, 15 Tiaan Swanepoel

Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Hacjivah Dayimani, 21 Morne van der Berg, 22 Manuel Rass, 23 Ruan Vermaak