Jaguares Eliminated by Lions in Super Rugby Quarter Final

Los Jaguares were eliminated by the Lions in today’s fourth and final Super Rugby Quarter Final. The 40-23 defeat brings to an end the most successful season for the Argentine franchise which joined the competition in 2016.

The Lions win saw the South Africans outscoring the Argentines by four tries to two. Their victory was based on ann outstanding first half performance in which the hosts ran in three tries and conceded zero.

The tries gave the Lions a 24-9 half-time lead. Winger Ruan Combrinck, inside center Harold Vorster, and hooker Malcolm Marx each crossed for tries. All three were converted by fly half Elton Jantjies who came away with 20 points.

The opening try came after Los Jaguares had opened the scoring. Nicolás Sánchez landed penalties in the 4th and 6th minutes. He would restore Los Jaguares’ lead in the 9th minute, doing so after Combrinck crossed in the corner.

Try number two saw a loose ball mishandled by a retreating Bautista Delguy. The bounce of that ball fell into the hands of Vorster who graciously accepted the gift try beside the posts.

It went from bad to worse for the third try as a second gift was given to the Lions. The guilty part was Gonzalo Bertranou who threw an intercept pass to Marx who punished it by scoring untouched.

In the second half Los Jaguares opened the scoring. An impressive darting run from Delguy down the right wing side saw him getting past two defenders to score in the 41st minute. Sánchez converted the 21-year-old’s try.

Jantjies landed a penalty three minutes later but Los Jaguares were enjoying the better play. Go-forward-ball resulted in captain Pablo Matera diving over. With Sánchez landing the conversion it was a 27-23 scoreline after 48 minutes.

The Lions hit-back ten minutes later, scoring their final try. Jantjies combined with Coetzee to send the later over. From there Jantjies went on to seal the result, landing a 64th minute drop goal and a 76th minute penalty.

The loss means Los Jaguares’ season is over. Elimination by the Lions means the Johannesburg-based franchise will play against the Waratahs next weekend looking for their third consecutive Super Rugby final.

Matera and his teammates are now to trade Jaguares uniforms for that of Los Pumas. The 2018 Rugby Championship kicks-off on August 18 with Los Pumas facing South Africa in Durban. Set to be confirmed in the coming days is the new Head Coach, his support staff and the playing roster. Expected back are European-Based players for the first time since RWC 2015.

SCORING

LIONS
Try: Combrinck, Vorster, Marx, Coetzee
Conversion: Jantjies (4)
Penalty: Jantjies (3)
Drop Goal: Jantjies

JAGUARES
Try: Delguy, Matera
Conversion: Sánchez (2)
Penalty: Sánchez (3)

TEAMS

LIONS
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (capt.), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen

Replacements: 16 Corne Fourie, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Dillon Smith, 22 Courtnall Skosan, 23 Howard Mnisi

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

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Tomás Lavanini, 21 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 22 Martín Landajo, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere