Ledesma makes tough nuts out of Jaguares
● Defeat to the Stormers, the Lions and the Hurricanes at the start of this Super Rugby campaign did little to alter the view that the Jaguares were in for another season of underachievement.
Their turnaround, however, has been nothing short of remarkable under new coach Mario Ledesma, the long-serving former hard man in the middle of the Argentinian scrum.
However, it took time to bed down his systems and the way he wants his team to play. His team, which had for so long undermined their efforts through poor discipline, could not claim to being lost in translation. By contrast, the Sunwolves, who also joined Super Rugby in 2016, are one of the most disciplined sides in the competition.
Ledesma recognised that confidence and clear role definition were key elements to improving discipline that had all too often undermined their efforts.
At the time of their struggles earlier this season the 45-year-old coach lamented he could not alter the team’s attack, defence and general game plan in under two months. He placed emphasis on developing skills, with forging identity and culture. Crucially too, their scrum developed another forward gear.
The white flag
It all helped them turn their season around. Almost inexplicably, however, the same players went on to raise the white flag in the colours of Los Pumas in a series defeat against a weakened Wales and a one-off defeat to a depleted Scotland last month. Los Pumas coach Daniel Hourcade fell on his sword as a result.
When Ledesma reassembled his players at the Jaguares they picked up where they left off and vanquished the Stormers last weekend.
Their Jekyll and Hyde act has been widely viewed. Lions coach Swys de Bruin, whose team has had mixed success against the Jaguares, was exasperated trying to figure them out.
“You never know what you are going to get,” said De Bruin. “You’ll go there and they’ll be untouchable and they come here and it will be relatively easy.
“I wish I knew what made them tick. You never know with them, they are up and down,” said De Bruin. The problem for the Lions coach is that the Jaguares have been mostly up in recent times. They went on a seven-match winning run before yesterday’s clash with the Bulls and have realistic prospects of winning the conference.
Ledesma’s ways have started to take effect. Argentinian rugby had to wait for their Messiah. Earlier this year Ledesma returned home after leading an itinerant existence for the last 18 years. He joined Narbonne in France in 2001 and has had stints with Castres, and famously at Clermont.
Fresh insight
He retired in 2011 and has since been forwards coach at Stade Francais, Montpellier, as well as at the Waratahs and Australia. At Stade Francais he forged a friendship with Wallaby coach Michael Cheika.
Ledesma acknowledged that stint in Australia gave him fresh insight into player management. He needed it as his team started the season underwhelmingly.
It was perhaps understandable. They didn’t have the extensive pre-season training all their rivals enjoyed. Now, however, the Jaguares are a different beast who will be hard to slay in the knockouts.