Why Are The Pumas Performing So Much Better Than The Jaguares?
The All Blacks’ annihilation of the Wallabies in the opening fortnight of the Rugby Championship may be the headline act of the Spring International season, but the Pumas deserve praise for their performances against South Africans – especially after the Jaguares’ Super Rugby baptism of fire.
A split series with South Africa to start the Rugby Championship was no less than the Pumas deserved and if not for the lack of composure that plagued the Jaguares in the Super Rugby series, the Argentinians could well be sitting unbeaten heading into the third round clash with the All Blacks.
When the Jaguares announced their roster for the Super Rugby season, hopes were high that the Argentinians could parlay their international experience into a decent showing in the southern hemisphere’s most taxing weekly grind. It was ostensibly the Argentinean test team, playing in a club competition. Surely, thought most pundits, they would be more than a match for any opposition.
The reality was this: Super Rugby’s expansion teams have rarely set the world on fire (the Brumbies being the only genuine exception) and the travel burden, coupled with the lack of familiarity with the rigours of week-in, week-out tournament play proved too much for the Jaguares to handle. In the end, they were a disappointment. However, there were signs that with more exposure to tournament play, the Jaguares could become a genuine force, rather than an occasional success.
Over the last two weeks, the Pumas have played with a greater intensity than they were able to show through their Jaguares exploits, but their style of play has neatly mirrored that of their Super Rugby season, reinforcing the notion that this is a team that can lift for the big occasion, if not produce results on a weekly basis.
Metres per carry, clean breaks, offloads, goal kicking percentage, and lineout percentage have all increased from the Super Rugby average, while the only real decrease in performance has come at the scrum, where the Pumas were especially troubled in the first test but eventually found a way to improve throughout the Salta match on the weekend.
That raises another crucial point about this Pumas side: exposure to weekly play has enhanced the side’s ability to make quick adjustments in game plan. In test one, the Pumas dominated the possession stats but a full 70% of that possession was used within their own half. In test two, that number had been reduced to just above 50% while it was South Africa that spent 70% of their time in possession inside their own half.
These statistics aren’t always indicators of success, especially when you consider the Pumas are still missing 20 tackles a game. Still, missing those tackles inside the opposition half is much better than missing them inside your own red zone, as the Pumas did in the first test in South Africa.
South African fans will claim that this is a weak Springbok side, but that does a disservice to the Pumas free-running game plan. The Springboks aren’t so much weak, as lacking conviction in the style of play that saw the Lions go all the way to the Super Rugby final. In both matches so far in the Rugby Championship it has been the Lions’ cavalry that has offered the team the most value, but they need to be given more freedom to express that.
The Pumas are expressing their intent in spades and head into week three of the competition second to the All Blacks in every key attacking statistic, boasting twice as many clean breaks (16) as the Springboks , twice as many offloads (12) as the Wallabies, and more passes, more metres, and more defenders beaten than both.
Where there is still massive room for improvement is in discipline and ball retention. The scrum woes aside, the Pumas still must work harder on the lineout, where only Australia’s malfunctioning set piece boasts a worse percentage, and their competition-high penalty count and card record undermines their positivity on attack.
There will be some who suggest that the Argentineans simply find another gear when they put on the national colours and that stands to reason given their long history of exclusion from regular, competitive club contact. Perhaps no player has better illustrated that over the last couple of weeks than halfback Martin Landajo who was outstanding in the second test against the Springboks.
Landajo was a one-man playmaking machine over the weekend and has obviously been given a licence to control the game. In two tests he has averaged more carries, more metres, more clean breaks, more defenders beaten, and more try assists than he averaged in the entire Super Rugby season. He leads all halfbacks in every one of those statistics.
That’s the kind of play the Jaguares will be hoping to get out of their test playing roster in next year’s Super Rugby competition, and that’s the kind of play that will ensure the Pumas still have a win or two up their sleeves in this Rugby Championship.
Comments on RugbyPass
No 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
3 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
54 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.
3 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
54 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
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments