Jaguares rest their big guns for Highlanders showdown
TEAM NAMING: While many have been vocal in their frustrations with New Zealand sides rarely fielding full-strength teams in 2019, it’s the Jaguares who appear to be giving some of their key internationals breaks as the World Cup draws nearer.
The Jaguares, who are currently third in the South African conference (only one point adrift of the Bulls and Sharks) and fifth overall, have opted to save some of their strongest players for bench duty for their important Saturday night fixture.
Inspirational leader Agustin Creevy is joined on the pine by fellow internationals Tomas Lavanini, Pablo Matera, Tomas Cubelli and Matias Orlando. Young first-five Domino Miotti has also been given a spell after starting the last three matches at 10. All five players started in the Jaguares’ win over the Stormers in last week’s match in Buenos Aires.
With the South African conference balanced on a knife edge, now seems like a dangerous time for coach Gonzalo Quesada to be resting his top contingent. The Highlanders will be hurting after giving up a big lead and stumbling over the finish line in a draw against the Chiefs last weekend. Their results have not been as impressive as the Argentinians but they still find themselves in with a shot of making the finals so have everything to play for.
Adding to the intrigue of the match is the fact that the Jaguares have never beaten the Highlanders. Although they were only introduced to Super Rugby in 2016, the Jaguares have managed to earn wins against every current team except for the Highlanders, the Hurricanes (who they play next week) and the Crusaders.
Jaguares: Emiliano Boffelli, Sebastian Cancelliere, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo de la Fuente (c), Ramiro Moyano, Joaquin Díaz Bonilla, Felipe Ezcurra, Javier Ortega Desio, Tomas Lezana, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Lucas Paulos, Marcos Kremer, Enrique Pieretto, Julian Montoya, Mayco Vivas. Reserves: Agustin Creevy, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Santiago Medrano, Tomas Lavanini, Pablo Matera, Tomas Cubelli, Domingo Miotti, Matias Orlando.
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Ultimately it is the entire NZR board who should be sacked. Foster wants to be the ABs coach, you can't blame him for that. NZR appointed him in what was a terrible process for actually finding the right candidate, more of a coronation based on the false assumption of "continuity" - it was clear from the BIL tour in 2017 which direction the ABs were heading, continuing that seemed crazy by they decided to do it anyway. They then reappointed him before he had faced a true test before the NH tour of 2021 which was a disaster. They could have sacked him then. They could have sacked him after the Ireland series where it was clear the ABs were well of the pace. They could have done it after the tests in SA which despite being 1-1 were not in the least bit convincing. Basically they have backed the guy every year, but now in the lead up to the world cup they have decided he's definitely not the right guy, yet he remains the coach.
Go to comments"taking the land they felt had been stolen from them during the colonial era" the land had been stolen, and the requisitions were entirely justified. I'm very sorry that Negri's family were hurt but this article is basically just propaganda for apartheid.
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