Jaguares maul Blues in historic victory

The Jaguares made history by beating the Blues 13-20 at wet and windy Eden Park, Auckland.

This is the South American’s first victory over New Zealand opposition, and they did it in brutal fashion.

The game was played in torrential rain, making handling difficult in a match where chances were few and points at a premium.

Tries from Emiliano Boffelli and Tomas Lezana after the break powered the Jaguares to this sensational result.

Agustin Creevy’s 14th-minute try gave the visitors a five-point lead but it was swiftly overturned.

The Blues took a 13-5 halftime lead after tries from Tumua Manu and Matt Duffie, and a penalty from Stephen Perofeta.

In the final 15 minutes of the half, their scrum was dismantled by the South Americans, setting the tone for the next 40 minutes of devastation in the set-pieces and driving maul.

The Jaguares‘ superior ball-skills and wet-weather fundamentals helped them overturn the deficit and take a seven-point lead.

The terrible conditions hampered both teams.

Wet weather rugby tactical nous is still nine-tenths of the law.

Keep possession, stay close together and don’t play with too much abandon.

The Jaguares kept the ball, going through the phases as they searched for weaknesses in the Blues defence.

The Blues conceded seven penalties inside the first quarter, mostly in their 22 which resulted in Akira Ioane being yellow carded.

Nicolas Sanchez kicked to touch, Guido Petti claimed the throw from the lineout and the Argentinians powered forward and over the try-line.

It was Creevy who got up from the melee with the ball in his hands.

Santiago Garcia Botta was penalised for collapsing the scrum and it was the Blues turn to kick to the corner.

Blues begin to get into the match.

They went close but were halted by some stern defending, so the Blues decided to switch play wide.

Jonathan Ruru spun the ball out to Perofeta, who slung a long pass out to Manu, who beat Bautista Delguy to the corner flag.

Leonardo Senatore was pinged for not being on his feet at the ruck.

Rieko Ioane charged towards the goal-line, was tackled short but managed to squirt the ball to Perofeta.

The standoff played the supporting Duffie, who beat a tackle and carried a man with him over the line.

The swing in momentum caused the Jaguares to start conceding penalties at an alarming rate. They were soon level with their hosts at seven apiece.

James Parsons wisely took the points on offer from one of the infringement.

Perofeta’s penalty, four minutes before the break, extended Tana Umaga’s side’s lead to eight.

A remarkable series of plays ensued before half-time. The Jaguares scrummed their opponents into the mud.

The Blues wilted in the bizarre last seven minutes of time added on.

More bizarrely, referee Paul Williams did not show a card or award the visitors a penalty-try after several collapsed scrums and offsides.

The South Americans pulverised the Blues pack, but could not get over the whitewash.

When Parsons stripped Sanchez, he tried to run out of his in-goal area instead of kicking the ball out.

The play – and the half – finally ended when the ball was dotted down.

Jaguares showed their class and experience.

The away side started well after the break, going close on a few occasions from a driving maul, and destroying another Blues scrum.

They needed to score first, especially playing the second-half into the wind and rain.

Boffelli, on 54 minutes, finished off a slick move after Jeronimo De La Fuente’s break in midfield. He took Matias Orlando’s pass before sliding over in the corner.

It was the winger’s ninth try in seven games, which reduced the deficit to three.

The Argentinians were enjoying some more possession inside of the Blues 22.

The next series of plays went 19 phases. The Blues were clinging on for dear life.

De la Fuente burst through the midfield defenders and sped into the Blues 22.

The ball was recycled quickly and Tomas Lezana crashed over to put his team in the lead for the first time on the night.

Sanchez added the extras.

The Jaguares had slowly squeezed the Blues. It started late in the first-half and continued throughout the second period.

Umaga’s men clawed back a seven to one penalty count to 7-all, however, near the end of the match it was 15 to eight, against the hosts.

Sanchez kicked one of those penalties which buried the Kiwis, who created some unwanted history.

Blues versus Jaguares video highlights.

Final score: Blues 13 (13) Jaguares 20 (5)

Scorers

Blues
Tries – Manu, Duffie
Pen – Perofeta
Con –
Drop –
Cards – A. Ioane (Yellow, 13′)

Jaguares
Tries – Creevy, Boffelli, Lezana
Pen –
Con – Sanchez
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 1: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant Ref 2: Cam Stone
TMO: Ben Skeen

Teams

Blues

15 Matt Duffie, 14 Jordan Hyland, 13 Orbyn Leger, 12 Rieko Ioane, 11 Tumua Manu, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Jonathan Ruru, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Jimmy Tupou, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons (captain), 1 Pauliasi Manu.

Replacements: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Ross Wright, 18 Mike Tamoaieta, 19 Ben Nee Nee, 20 Lyndon Dunshea, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 23 Terrence Hepetema.

Jaguares

15 Joaquin Tuculet (captain), 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo De La Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Javier Ortega Desio, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti Pagadizaval, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Santiago Garcia Botta.

Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Javier Manuel Diaz, 18 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 19 Tomas Lavanini, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Bautista Ezcurra, 23 Sebastian Cancelliere.