Jaguares make history after overcoming Chiefs in thrilling Super Rugby quarter-final
Jaguares 21-16 Chiefs
Not to be for the Chiefs. Their inspiring late revival ended in Argentina and so, too, has their season.
No one could fault the Chiefs’ desire and effort. After needing six games to get their first win of this campaign, they have since responded with pure desperation.
Welcoming Brodie Retallick and Sam Cane back certainly helped. But three wins in the final three weeks of the regular season – one brilliant comeback to overturn a 20-point deficit against the Crusaders in Suva – pushed them into the playoffs, against all odds.
Travelling to Buenos Aires, and playing in a hostile, foreign atmosphere, is never easy. Not least when you meet a formidable Jaguares side that has now won 10 of their last 11 matches.
With the World Cup on the horizon, Argentina rugby is building at the right time, and the Jaguares are a big reason for that.
One of their starting XV for this match has not played for Pumas – the same off the bench, too.
Watching a loose forward such as Pablo Matera thunder about makes you appreciate just why this Jaguares team and, indeed, the Pumas are such a threat.
Their defence was outstanding in the second half – the predominant reason why they will be back at home next week to host the semifinal. At one point they repelled 15 phases on their own line before another mistake from the Chiefs let them off the hook.
The passion of Jaguares fans and players at the final whistle showed just how much reaching their first semifinal means to them.
The Chiefs will rue blowing an eight-point second half lead; their error count and poorly malfunctioning lineout throws at crucial times. Their dominant scrum kept them in the game and they had their chances elsewhere, but execution and accuracy, particularly from their pack, let them down.
Truth is, given their horror start to the season, they did well to make it this far.
In their first home playoff match the Jaguares were always going to come out of the blocks quickly. Still, a try after 50 seconds wasn’t expected.
In one of six fist half errors alone from the Chiefs forwards, many coming while attempting tip on passes just before contact, Angus Ta’avao lost the ball which led to Matera opening the scoring.
This continued the early theme. It was all Jaguares. They were patient in building phases and switching the play.
The Chiefs did well to absorb pressure and only concede one first half try. Shaun Stevenson enjoyed roaming on the edge and found space with some nice chips in behind which created field position and, thus chances.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, frequent errors from their pack when in striking distance nullified much of their positive work.
They needed a moment of brilliance from Brad Weber, as has been the case so often of late, to inspire a fightback. One big dummy and break up the middle had Weber giving Lachlan Boshier an inside ball on the way to the line. It was another example of the one test All Blacks halfback pushing his case for World Cup inclusion.
By the end of the first half, the Chiefs had withstood the initial onslaught and worked themselves into a position of strength. Their senior players came to the fore –Retallick with one turnover, Ta’avao two big scrums, Cane with typically huge hits and Anton Lienert-Brown with carries and a turnover, to lead 10-8 at half time.
The Jaguares upped the tempo in the second spell, though, and exposed the Chiefs by giving the ball air to the edges. The Chiefs’ ill-discipline proved costly, too, and their inability to win a lineout became a major issue.
The Chiefs weren’t helped by losing Jack Debreczeni to injury early in the second half. This appeared to disrupt their momentum, somewhat, but it was not the reason they lost.
For Colin Cooper it’s a case of back to the drawing board. This was not an easy campaign to manage, having lost Damian McKenzie, Retallick and Cane for large periods.
Ultimately the Chiefs will take heart from sneaking into the playoffs but expectations are such that more is expected.
Scorers:
Jaguares: Pablo Matera, Matias Moroni tries, Joaquin diaz Bonilla pen 2, con
Chiefs: Lachlan Boshier tries, Jack Debreczeni con, pen 2, Marty McKenzie pen
HT: 8-10
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Says much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
2 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
23 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
23 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
23 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments