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SUPER RUGBY PREVIEW 2018: In the final instalment of the South African Conference, we preview the Argentinian side Jaguares.
Will the change in coaching staff bring a change in fortunes?
Something needed to be done after the first two seasons in Super Rugby – in which period, under Raúl Pérez, they managed just 11 wins, a paltry 37 percent winning rate.
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The new era of the Jaguares will see legendary former Argentinian Test hooker Mario Ledesma take over as head coach – with Martín Gaitán and Nicolás Fernández Miranda as his assistants.
Ledesma, who collected 84 caps between 1996 to 2011, appeared in four World Cups. He has vast experience as a player in France (played in Narbonne, Castres and Clermont, where he won a Top 14 title in 2010) and as assistant coach of the Stade Francais (2011-2012 with Michael Cheika), Montpellier (2012-2014 with Fabien Galthie), Waratahs (2014-2015 again with Cheika) and since 2015, as assistant coach of Wallabies, also with Michael Cheika.
He has a massive task to restore some pride in Argentina rugby, by making the Jaguares more competitive.
Apart from the fact that they blatantly overplayed their players – with the Jaguares doubling up as the Pumas, with the odd exception – discipline contributed to fatigue as they were stuck in the ‘also-rans’ category.
Discipline, in particular, was a massive issue.
Despite his high work rate, captain Agustin Creevy conceded the most penalties – not the kind of example you want him to set.
The Jaguares averaged more than 10 penalties per match and were guaranteed at least one yellow card per game.
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Hard work has neem the keyword for the Jaguares in pre-season.
They have avoided talking about results, but focused on becoming a more “professional” team.
“Professionalism has to do with the way we do things,” Ledesma said.
“[It is about] the seriousness, the responsibility, the honesty towards oneself, and giving your maximum in everything you do.”
2018 Predictions
South African Conference Placing: Fifth
Player of the Year: Tomás Cubelli
Rookie of the Year: Santiago Montagner
Super Rugby Placing: Eleventh
History
Best finish: Tenth in 2017
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Worst finish: Thirteenth in 2016
Squad Movements
In: Thomas Cubelli (Brumbies).
Out: Christian Bartolioni (SA XV Charente), Ramiro Herrera (Stade Français), Lucas Noguera (Bath).
Squad: Agustín Creevy, Benjamin Macome, Crisitian Bartoloni, Enrique Pieretto, Facundo Gigena, Felipe Arregui, Felipe Ezcurra, Guido Petti Pagadizabal, Ignacio Larrague, Javier Ortega Desio, Juan Cruz Guillemaín, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Julián Montoya, Leonardo Senatore, Paz, Marcos Kremer, Matías Alemanno, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Pablo Matera, , Roberto Tejerizo, Rodrigo Báez, Santiago García Botta, Tomás Lavanini, Tomás Lezana, Bautista Ezcurra, Emiliano Boffelli, Gabriel Ascarate, Gonzalo Bertranou, Jerónimo De La Fuente, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Joaquín Tuculet, Juan Martín Hernández, Manuel Montero, Martín Landajo, Matías Moroni, Matías Orlando, Nicolás Freitas, Nicolás Sánchez, Ramiro Moyano, Santiago Alvarez Fourcade, Santiago Cordero, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Thomas Cubelli.
By Jan de Koning
@king365ed
@rugby365com
Comments on RugbyPass
Farcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
61 Go to comments