Jaguares not only side lining up to dish out real punishment Tahs doing it tough

AFTER being dominated by the Jaguares on Sunday and with an in- form Rebels side their next opponent, the Waratahs already have a steep uphill challenge this week.

But when it rains, it pours and before the Waratahs can look at the many problems exposed in Buenos Aires and the rising danger of the Rebels, first they’ll have to try to keep their eyes open.

The Tahs, beaten by the Jaguares far more soundly than the 38- 28 scoreline suggests, will arrive back in Sydney this week after doing a lap of the planet inside a fortnight.

Having flown from Sydney to Durban to play the Sharks, on to Buenos Aires to meet the Jaguares and then back to Sydney, the Waratahs will have spent around 60 hours in planes and travelled 30,462km in the past 15 days.

It’s the toughest road- trip in rugby and the Tahs will need all seven days in their turnaround to adjust body clocks, let alone a flawed game.

If jet lag was already a factor in losing to the previously winless Jaguares, it will only be worse this week ahead of their clash with the unbeaten Rebels on Sunday afternoon at Allianz Stadium.

In demolishing the Brumbies, the Rebels proved powerwise they’re just as well equipped as the Argentinians to hurt NSW in the same areas that led to their demise in Buenos Aires.

The Tahs were outmuscled and outplayed by Mario Ledesma’s men on Sunday morning, unable to match the Jaguares’ power in contact, their setpiece and their tempo and skill with the ball.

Two tries in the final two minutes by NSW painted a veneer of respectability to an otherwise one- sided defeat.

Losing a bonus point as a result of the last two NSW tries, the Jaguares will be kicking themselves they didn’t kick on after they scored five tries in the first half to lead 33- 7; the first after just 17 seconds.

With Ledesma no doubt using inside knowledge from his time in Australian rugby, the Waratahs were dominated at the collisions and without leg drive to take them past the gainline, NSW’s plan to use backs to find gaps wide was shut down by a well- spread Jaguares’ defensive line.

The Waratahs were mostly able to fix last week’s problem of not maintaining possession but ultimately they weren’t able to mount any serious pressure with the ball.

And when they made mistakes they were seized upon by the Jaguares.