Argentine side determined to get off to good start in PE
JAGUARES head coach Raul Perez has unveiled a 44-man training squad packed with Argentine internationals for the new Super Rugby season.
The Argentines travel to Port Elizabeth to play the Southern Kings in their first game at Nelson Mandela Bay the Stadium on February 25.
On their last visit, the Jaguares crashed to a 29-22 defeat after they were down to 12 men in the final stages following two red cards and a yellow.
This year, the Jaguares are once again in the Africa 2 group alongside the Kings, Sharks and Lions.
Test players Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy, Facundo Isa, Martin Landajo, Nicolas Sanchez, Juan Martin Hernandez, Matias Moroni and Santiago Cordero have all been named in the squad.
“The immediate challenge is to put in practice within the group all the experience we accumulated in 2016,” Perez said.
“We are coming back to compete in the most important tournament in the world and the most demanding, and with a season under our belt it is very different.”
Of the opening clash against the Kings, he said: “The expectation we have set is to go game by game.
“And I remember when we played in Port Elizabeth, our indiscipline cost us. And I think that’s the challenge.
“Then we will prepare for the second game, which is against the Stormers in Cape Town, and build on what we do well in the opener and have the reflexes to change what we don’t do so well.”
Kings head coach Deon Davids has indicated that he may be ready to boost his 46-man squad by adding extra players.
Before the team headed off on their mid-year break, Davids hinted that some new faces may be on the way.
The players return to duty next week and they will also have a camp in East London before playing three friendlies.
After the training camp, they will have a match against Border in East London before further warm-up outings against the Stormers in Cape Town and the SWD Eagles in Port Elizabeth.
The Jaguares squad: Forwards: Cristian Bartoloni, Santiago Garcia Botta, Facundo Gigena, Ramiro Herrera, Lucas Noguera Paz, Enrique Pieretto, Roberto Tejerizo, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Facundo Bosch, Agustin Creevy, Julian Montoya, Matias Alemanno, Juan Cruz Guillemaín, Marcos Kremer, Ignacio Larrague, Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti, Rodrigo Baez, Facundo Isa, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Tomas Lezana, Benjamin Macome, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio, Santiago Portillo, Leonardo Senatore Backs: Gonzalo Bertranou, Felipe Ezcurra, Martin Landajo, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Nicolas Sanchez, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Juan Martin Hernandez, Gabriel Ascarate, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Bautista Ezcurra, Santiago Alvarez, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Santiago Cordero, Manuel Montero, Emiliano Boffelli, Ramiro Moyano, Joaquín Tuculet.