Jaguares dispatch Stormers

The Jaguares dispatched the Stormers 25-14 at Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Buenos Aires, scoring three tries to two.

This is the Jaguares’ first victory over the Stormers in Super Rugby, having lost the previous three encounters.

Mario Ledesma has overseen a remarkable turnaround in his side’s fortunes with a seventh win on the bounce.

The South Americans raced to a 22-7 lead early in the second-half, playing some wonderful, opportunist rugby which the South Africans could not compete.

Tries from Bautista Delguy, Guido Petti, who was sensational, and set-up Matias Orlando’s try, gave the Argentines a comfortable lead.

Credit to the Stormers, they kept in the game, scoring through Sikhumbuzo Notshe, then Dillyn Leyds, on the hour, after some sustained pressure inside the opposition’s 22.

However, the Jaguares’ experience told. They slowed down the game expertly as they ran down the clock.

Nicolas Sanchez added a late penalty, and that was that.

Fast start for the hosts.

The Jaguares were out of the blocks quickly, scoring two tries to take a 15-nil lead in as many minutes.

Delguy and Petti both crossed for the South Americans. Sanchez added a penalty and a conversion to give his side a three-score lead.

The Stormers were guilty of too many penalties, they lost two lineouts and were missing far too many tackles.

Operating at less than 60 percent tackle success rate will never win rugby matches.

Ledesma’s men, on the other hand, were strong on defence and disciplined, not conceding any penalties while their opponents racked them up.

Petti’s try was fortuitous but deserved. The lock was a pillar of strength and played with the subtlety and panache of Victor Matfield and Brodie Retallick.

He had a hand in Orlando’s try after a sensational piece of skill, pace and agility.

Stormers steady the ship.

Robbie fleck’s men did manage to shore up the defence, and they even got a foothold in the game when Notshe scored on 25 minutes.

The No. 8 showed power and strength to cross for his score and was outstanding.

It was all the Stormers could muster until the latter stages of the match when Dillyn Leyds crossed to give hope of a revival.

The second-half was played at a slower pace, but it suited the away team until it was too late.

The Jaguares started the second period hot, scoring after Petti’s moment of magic set-up Orlando a minute after the restart.

With a big lead and a stronger pack, the home side ground out the result.

When the Stormers reduced the deficit to eight, the Jaguares used their mammoth amount of Test experience to slow the game down when the opposition wanted to play at pace.

The Argentinians started to give away too many penalties, but the South Africans could get their driving maul going.

It was easy to defend for the hosts, and they repelled everything except for Leyds well-worked score.

The Stormers hammered the line, sucking in defenders before going wide, allowing the fullback to collect, beat his man and score.

That was all they could muster, however.

Sanchez kicked a late penalty, which was more about taking time off the clock than anything else because the deficit was still two-scores.

It wasn’t quite a masterclass, but it was classic Test match tactics.

Jaguares versus Stormers video highlights.

Final score: Jaguares 25 (15) Stormers 14 (7)

Scorers

Jaguares
Tries – Delguy, Petti, Orlando
Pen – Sanchez (2)
Con – Sanchez (2)
Drop –
Cards –

Stormers
Tries – Notshe, Leyds
Pen –
Con – Du Plessis (2)
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Ref 1: Pablo Deluca
Assistant Ref 2: Jose Covassi
TMO: Santiago Borsani

Teams

Jaguares: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo De La Fuente Jeronimo, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Tomas Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera (captain), 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Santiago Garcia Botta.

Replacements: 16 Diego Fortuny, 17 Javier Manuel Diaz, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Joaquin Diaz Bonila, 23 Matias Moroni.

Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Craig Barry, 13 Johannes Engelbrecht, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Jan de Klerk, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Jacobus Janse van Rensburg, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Kobus van Dyk, 22 Justin Phillips, 23 EW Viljoen.