Match Preview – Jaguares vs Reds

History will be made on Saturday. The Super Rugby fixture between Los Jaguares and the Reds is to be the first ever between teams from Argentina and Australia.

Los Jaguares Head Coach, Raúl Pérez has opted against making wholesale changes. Despite the return of numerous players from injury and suspension Pérez has made just two alterations.

Lucas Noguera Paz is back into the starting line-up. The Tucumán Loose head prop takes over from Santiago García Botta. Noguera Paz started in round one against the Southern Kings only to make-way for García Botta in the three subsequent matches.

The non-avaliability of Santiago Cordero, Manuel Montero and Matías Moroni sees Los Pumas 7’s product Bautista Ezcurra starting. A fly half or inside center by trade, Ezcurra will play on the wing this weekend. He made his Super Rugby debut against the Cheetahs.

Alterations to the replacements see first choice Pumas Guido Petti and Nicolás Sánchez included. Also added is the uncapped Emiliano Boffelli who was included on May 27 2016 playing against the Southern Kings. Since then his one match was for the Argentina XV against Brazil in Ushuaia.

Also getting an opportunity is Roberto Tejerizo. The Loose Head prop has officially now been converted into a hooker. He will act as deputy to captain Agustín Creevy this weekend. The return of Petti sees Ignacio Larrague missing out while Rodrigo Báez has been named ahead of Juan Manuel Leguizamón as the replacement back-rower.

The Reds have also named a side featuring changes. Head Coach Nick Stiles is without the suspended Quade Cooper. He has also opted to rest flanker George Smith and second-rower Rob Simmons while prop James Slipper is out through injury.

Starting in place of Cooper at fly half is Jake McIntyre. Adam Korczyk will play at flanker and Izack Rodda will lock the scrum. Former Bath flanker, Leroy Houston is to join Rodda and Scott Higginbotham in the back-row.

Australian captain Stephen Moore returns to the side and will lead them in Buenos Aires. He is to have a number of Wallabies playing under him. They include Kane Douglas, Samu Kerevi, Higginbotham and Houston. Fullback, Karmichael Hunt is a former teammate of Marcelo Bosch and Manuel Carizza at Biarritz.

The fixture is to be Los Jaguares’ 10th home match. Playing in Buenos Aires the team has a record of five wins and five losses. Having beaten both the Lions and Cheetahs in this season’s two home matches the team is on a one winning streak of three matches. The last home defeat was against the Highlanders on July 09 2016.

Los Jaguares go into Saturday’s match as the leaders of the Africa 2 conference. This fact and the fortunes, and selection, of the Reds place Los Jaguares as favorites to win on Saturday.

JAGUARES
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Bautista Ezcurra, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Tomás Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Marcos Kremer, 3 Felipe Arregui, 2 Agustín Creevy (Capt.), 1 Lucas Noguera Paz

Replacements: 16 Roberto Tejerizo, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Ramiro Herrera, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Rodrigo Báez, 21 Felipe Escurra, 22 Nicolás Sánchez, 23 Emiliano Boffelli

REDS
15 Karmichael Hunt, 14 Izaia Perese, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Duncan Paia’aua, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 James Tuttle, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Adam Korczyk, 6 Leroy Houston, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Stephen Moore (Capt.), 1 Markus Vanzati

Replacements: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Kirwan Sanday, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Lukhan Tui, 20 Hendrik Tui, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Lachie Maranta, 23 Chris Kuridrani

Date: Saturday, March 25
Venue: Vélez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Kick-off: 18:40 local
Referee: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
Assistants: Jamie Nutbrown (New Zealand), Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Santiago Borsani (Argentina)