Lions are wary of wily Jaguares
ARGENTINES: BLESSED WITH PHYSICALITY AND FLAIR
Quarterfinal clash the highlight of his career, confesses Schoeman.
Having enjoyed storming cameo appearances off the bench, this weekend’s Super Rugby home quarterfinal against the Jaguares rates right up there for Lions openside flanker Marnus Schoeman.
Call him a late bloomer at 29 – and on loan from the Pumas – Schoeman enjoyed a try-scoring spree on the recent away trip Down Under, having scored a total of six tries in only 11 appearances.
“Me and my dad had a chat in the week and it’s definitely the highlight of my career playing Super Rugby and with a special group of guys,” said Schoeman.
“At this stage I’m just on loan but we’ll see what happens in the future.”
And how did he enjoy scoring all those maul tries?
“I was just at the right place at the right time and for a team like this, it’s great but I don’t feel the pressure and just want to add value to the team and it’s been amazing here,” he said.
But he warned that the Jaguares have always been a physical side, saying that’s what they stand for and they also have a lot of flair.
“They have got a good combination and have found a good balance between being physical and having flair.
“Their flyhalf Nicholas Sanchez is the heart of their attack but obviously we have a defensive system that we must back and we have planned for this weekend but also sticking to our system,” he said.
He said Bok defense coach Jacques Nienaber “just came around to fill in where he can” this week, “as we have our own structures and he was just looking where he can maybe add something”.
“It’s a whole system thing and you can’t just focus on one player, with (flank and captain) Pablo Matera running off Sanchez.”
Schoeman said it’s a wonderful opportunity to be in the playoffs with the team who have got so much continuity, adding he is looking forward to it as much as he can and feed off their experience.
“But it’s like every other week and just another game while we have a lot of respect for the Jaguares, they beat us there and we beat them here, it’s going to be interesting what they are going to bring to the table on Saturday.
“You like to have a home quarter but they are a team travelling well and on tour they have won all four Down Under, so it’s going to be a tough game, a typical quarterfinal.”
Tomorrow
9.35 Wellington Hurricanes (4*) v Chiefs (5) Whenever these two teams clash, it tends to go the way of the home team, with the Canes winning 25-13 at home earlier in the competition and the Chiefs winning 28-24 in Hamilton last weekend. But either way it boils down to a cracker between the two big playmaking flyhalves, Damian McKenzie for the Chiefs and Beauden Barrett for the Hurricanes.
Prediction: Hurricanes by seven. Saturday 9.35am Christchurch Crusaders (1) v Sharks (8) Everything counts against the Durbanites from the travel factor to their inconsistency to meeting a formidable team like the Crusaders who are almost unbeatable at home basing their resounding top position on the log on a formidable All Black-laden pack, while their stern defensive pattern seem to suffocate opposition teams into submission and mistakes.
Prediction: Crusaders by more than 15. 11.45am Sydney Waratahs (3) v Highlanders (6)
The Highlanders might be more of the form team going into the play-offs, but they have a poor away record, while the Waratahs are in their first play-off match for some time and will want to make the most of it with Bernard Foley at flyhalf and fullback Israel Foley expected to steer their ship into the last four. Prediction: Waratahs by 12. 3.05pm Ellis Park Lions (2) v Jaguares (7) The Lions are expected to be composed and goal-driven hosting their third straight quarterfinal at home, while it’s the Jaguares maiden play-off appearance and while their passion could give the home team a few close shaves, they have always struggled to come to the party in SA and the Lions should have enough fire in their bellies.
Prediction: Lions by 13.
(*Numbers indicate seeding)