Jaguares Reach Super Rugby Play-Off’s Despite Loss to Bulls

History has been made in South Africa as Jaguares have reached the Super Rugby play-off’s despite today’s 43-34 loss to the Bulls. Mario Ledesma’s team secured their place in the final 8 thanks to the Stormers defeating the Sharks 27-16 in Cape Town.

The results mean that Los Jaguares are secured of finishing the regular season no lower than second in the African conference. The only team above them is the Lions who have 41 points, three more than Los Jaguares.

The Argentine franchise blew a 19-0 lead in falling against the Bulls. A combination of the occasion and playing at attitude contributed to the defeat. Next weekend Los Jaguares will complete their regular season in Durban against the Sharks.

This morning’s game in Pretoria was non-stop action. In quick time Los Jaguares were on the front foot with Nicolás Sánchez opening the scoring in the 2nd minute. He failed to convert his own try but three minutes later landed a simple attempt following captain Pablo Matera’s sensational try under the posts.

12-0 became 19-0 in the 18th minute. The third try came from scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou., Los Jaguares second consecutive team score. Bertranou ran a support line to finish off a break from Tomás Lezana.

With one quarter of the match gone Los Jaguares were cruising for victory. Yet their progress came to a halt as the home side ran-in tries through Johnny Kotze and Embrose Papier.

A missed opportunity followed for Los Jaguares with the last pass of a certain try going into touch. It would be vital as the Bulls subsequently made them pay as Jesse Kriel intercepted to give the Bulls their third try and a 21-19 half time lead.

In the second half Handre Pollard opened the scoring, landing a long-range penalty. Bertranou hit-back scoring his second try of the match. He showed great feet to step past covering defenders after Emiliano Boffelli had broken free from inside his own half.

The Bulls cancelled it out in the 52nd minute. Scoring his first of two second half tries was right winger Jamba Ulengo.  Having gone over untouched in the right corner a misread Bulls line-out from Los Jaguares saw flanker Marco van Staden sprinting over to score. When Ulengo scored his second the Bulls were 43-29 ahead.

With time running out captain Pablo Matera finished the scoring. From a quick-tap penalty, Matera got over the line despite having five defenders in his way. While the result was disappointing it was followed quickly by the Stormers defeating the Sharks. As such Los Jagaures are into the Super Rugby Play-Off’s for the first time in their history.

SCORERS

BULLS (43)
Try: Kotza, Papier, Kriel, Ulengo (2), van Staden
Conversion: Pollard (5)
Penalty: Pollard

JAGUARES (34)
Try: Sánchez, Matera (2), Bertranou (2)
Conversion: Sánchez (3)
Penalty: Boffelli

BULLS
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Divan Rossouw, 10 Handre Pollard (capt.), 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Morne Smith, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Nic de Jager, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Dries Swanepoel

JAGUARES
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Pablo Matera (capt.), 6 Tomás Lezana, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Santiago García Botta

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Javier Díaz, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Marcos Kremer, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Matías Orlando, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere