Jaguares’ threat to Crusaders
The Crusaders don’t need to be warned about the dangers posed by the Jaguares: they only need to cast their minds back to Nelson last September.
When the All Blacks hosted Argentina – with Richie Mo’unga starting in No 10 – the visitors cut them apart defensively at times, scoring 24 points, and a lot of those Pumas players will run out for the Jaguares in Christchurch tomorrow night.
There are new threats, too, in Jaguares No 10 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla and quick-footed wing Sebastian Cancelliere but overall the danger posed is not dissimilar: forget about the scrum, it’s poor kicking and a lazy chase that the Jaguares will punish.
Here are five key players the Crusaders must respect.
So much of the Jaguares’ play starts with the tall fullback.
He is superb in the air on defence, which sets up an intriguing battle with the Crusaders who love trying to regather their own kicks.
Boffelli’s ability to defuse bombs is often the catalyst for the Jaguares’ counterattacks and his big boot also means the Jaguares rarely lose kicking duels. He’s probably their most valuable player and presents a great challenge for the Crusaders’ David Havili, easily the most unlucky player not to make the All Blacks this week.
Emiliano Boffelli: Sebastian Cancelliere:
Extremely elusive wing who will burst into life if the Crusaders kick poorly to the Jaguares’ backfield.
Cancelliere isn’t the biggest wing around but he has great feet and is fearless, physically and mentally. The Jaguares are deep in the back three – Ramiro Moyano couldn’t even make the starting XV last week in the semifinal against the Brumbies – but Cancelliere has been their best with ball in hand this year.
New Zealanders like to think they go all right in the hooking position but Creevy sits comfortably alongside Dane Coles, Codie Taylor and Malcolm Marx in any
Augustin Creevy:
discussion about the world’s best.
He is superb over the ball, can make the hard yards through the middle as well as anyone and has easily the best ‘Who me ref?’ facial expression in world rugby.
His understudy, Juilan Montoya, has improved but the Jaguares are still a different team when Creevy is on the paddock.
Madly passionate individual who has probably turned down multiple lucrative offers in Europe to commit himself to Argentine rugby.
Knows only one way to play – with the amp turned up to 11 – and is one of the Jaguares’ key ball runners off the halfback when they need to get over the gainline.
Matera will keep the Crusaders’ back row honest all night and he becomes a particular threat when the Jaguares get into the red zone.
Has flown so far under the radar that most Kiwis probably don’t know he even exists.
However, the clever, organised first five-eighth is a master at putting other people into gaps and his tactical acumen has turned the Jaguares into one of the most consistent sides in the competition.
As you would expect he is also a strong goalkicker and although he won’t be able to match Mo’unga’s running game he pulls the right tactical levers at the right time and appears to have a great temperament.
Pablo Matera: Joaquin Diaz Bonilla: