Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The Super Rugby season continue this weekend. Los Jaguares will play their first match of their second tour to South Africa. They are to be up against the Bulls, a team they recorded an impressive victory over in round two.
Bulls Head Coach Pote Human has a much changed side from last weekend. He has named six alterations to the starting line-up. In the backs this sees Johnny Kotze replacing Cornal Hendricks on one wing; Dylan Sage coming in for Springbok Jesse Kriel; Manie Libbok starting in place of Handré Pollard; and Jade Stighling replacing Rosco Specman.
The two remaining changes come in the forwards. Missing due to suspension is Schalk Brits. The veteran hooker was red carded last weekend for fighting against his opposite Akker Van der Merwe. Cornell Els will have an opportunity to start as the Bulls N2.
Meanwhile Jannes Kirsten has been named to start at flanker. This sees Hanro Liebenberg moving into the second-row with Jason Jenkins making way for him.
Gonzalo Quesada has also made personal changes, but less so than Human. Starting on Saturday will be Pablo Matera, Santiago González Iglesias, and Matías Orlando with all three having been elevated rom the bench.
Matera was a second half replacement at flanker against the Chiefs. He will join Tomás Lezana, and Javier Ortega Desio in the back-row with Marcos Kremer moving to lock the scrum. Kremer will do so with Tomás Lavanini on the bench, a decision motivated through the needs of the team as Lavanini travelled to South Africa with ice on his shoulder.
The loss of Joaquín Díaz Bonilla to injury sees a third ever start for veteran Santiago González Iglesias at fly half. His prior starts were against the Bulls in 2017, and the Blues in 2017. Game time for his understudy, Domingo Miotti would see him making his Jaguares’ debut.
The re-orgzniaed backline see Matías Moroni moving from outside center to the right wing with Matías Orlando starting in the 13 shirt. This also sees Emiliano Boffelli moving from wing to fullback and Joaquín Tuculet dropping to the bench.
The replacements named by Quesada are undoubtedly the strongest of the year. He has starting Pumas Agustín Creevy, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, and Tomás Lavanini among the replacement forwards. Reliable coverage will also come from Rodrigo Bruni, Rodrigo Pieretto, and Joaquín Tuculet. The halves see Felipe Ezcurra, and Domingo Miotti included. They were stand-outs for the Argentina XV in the Americas Rugby Championship.
There have been six prior matches between the Bulls and Jaguares. The most recent was in round two of the current season. In that match Los Jaguares were 27-12 winners. In 2018 the Bulls won 43-34 in the final round of 2018 while Los Jaguares were 54-24 winners in Buenos Aires. In 2016 Los Jaguares won 29-11 in Buenos Aires in 2016 while the Bulls won 26-13 in Pretoria in 2017.
The home side has always won Bulls vs Jaguares matches. Will this continue on Saturday? The form of the sides suggests yes though the respective player rosters point to a Jaguares win. The defensively oriented backline ought to be decisive in ending the drought of Jaguares wins in South Africa. Los Jaguares enter as favorites to win a close game by 4 points.
TEAMS
BULLS
15 Divan Rossouw, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Dylan Sage, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Jade Stighling, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Duane Vermeulen (capt.), 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Ruan Steenkamp, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Hanro Liebenberg, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Corniel Els, 1 Lizo Gqoboka
Replacements: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 Tim Agaba, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 JT Jackson, 23 Cornal Hendricks
JAGUARES
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matías Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (capt.), 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Santiago González Iglesias, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Tomás Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Marcos Kremer, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Julián Montoya, 1 Mayco Vivas
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Rodrigo Bruni, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Joaquín Tuculet
Date: Saturday, April 06
Kick-Off: 10:00am (Argentina)
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
TMO: Willie Vos (South Africa)
