Jaguares ready for 'baptism of fire'
The Jaguares named a powerful team ahead of their pre-season friendly against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.
They will be led by Los Pumas' World Cup skipper Agustin Creevy and features a host of players that featured prominently for Argentina when they secured fourth place at the global showpiece late last year.
With the likes of elusive outside backs Joaquín Tuculet and Santiago Cordero, experienced halfbacks Nicolás Sánchez and Martín Landajo, and tough forwards Creevy and Juan Manuel Leguizamon, the Jaguares should provide a tough examination for the Stormers.
Leguizamon, the most experienced forward in the team, did not mince his words when he described his excitement about taking on the Stormers – the winners of the South African Super rugby conference last year.
"If I have to summarize in one word what we feel, it is happy," the 32-year-old loose forward said.
"We are very eager to get this stage of our build-up [to Super Rugby] underway," he said of Saturday's game – their first encounter with a Super Rugby franchise.
"The preparations for the season has been demanding, but now starts the best part – to play.
"No doubt it will be a huge baptism for the Jaguares and we are well aware of how tough it will be to take on the Stormers on their home turf.
"We are physically and mentally prepared, after months of hard work in the pre-season."
Jaguares centre Matías Moroni said it is important for the players to remain calm and not get caught up in the excitement of the moment – their first encounter with a Super Rugby team.
"We were told by the coaching staff to remain focussed on our game plan and not get frustrated, because we have worked hard in the past few months to get to this stage," Moroni said.
The Jaguares have one more pre-season match – against the Lions, next Friday, February 19 – before their Super Rugby season kicks off on February 26 against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Jaguares: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Matías Orlando, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo De la Fuente, 11 Santiago Cordero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Tomás Lezana, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matías Alemanno, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy (captain), 1 Santiago García Botta.
Replacements – from: Julian Montoya, Lucas Noguera Paz, Cristian Bartoloni, Felipe Arregui, Santiago Iglesias Valdez, Felipe Ezcurra, Santiago González Iglesias, Gonzalo Bertranou, Emiliano Boffelli, Tomás Carrio, Rodrigo Baez, Javier Ortega Desio, Leonardo Senatore, Pablo Matera, Guido Petti, Ignacio Larrague, Ramiro Herrera.
Date: Saturday, February 13
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town,
Kick-off: 16.00 (11.00 Argentina time; 14.00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa
