Sunwolves, Jaguares have tough task of living up to flair of Japan, Argentina

AFTER the impressive showing by Japan and Argentina at last year’s World Cup, Super Rugby welcomes franchise teams from those countries for the first time. JOHN GOLIATH takes a look at the two new teams. JAPAN caused the biggest shock in rugby history when they beat the Springboks at the World Cup, and grabbed the attention of the rugby world.

And, if you like, it was probably the greatest unplanned marketing ploy that the Southern Hemisphere’s rugby bosses could have come up with ahead of the Sunwolves’ Super Rugby debut.

There will be a lot of interest in seeing if Japan’s Super Rugby outfit can also cause a big stir. They certainly showed some good signs when they beat a Top League XV 52-24 in their only warm-up match leading into the tournament.

If the warm-up match is anything to go by, the Japanese team will play a ball-in-hand game, which will go hand-in-hand with a quick tempo. Like their national team at the World Cup, they will play quickly from first phase and may try to avoid going toeto-toe with the opposition teams at scrum time.

While they don’t have the biggest pack in Super Rugby, their coach, former New Zealand hooker Mark Hammett, will also be concerned about their defence after they conceded three tries against the Top League XV.

Key player: Samoan flyhalf Tusi Pisi was outstanding in the warm-up match, scoring a sensational individual try with his stepping.

His style of play will help to bring players like quicksilver wing Akihito Yamada into the game. Pisi also has to dictate the pace of the game for the Sunwolves, as Super Rugby is probably the most energy-sapping rugby

IMPORTANT FIGURES: Sunwolves pivot Tusi Pisi, left, and Jaguares fullback Santiago Cordero, right, will have vital roles as playmakers.

competition on the planet, and is played at a tempo and with physicality that few of their players would have experienced before. THE new Argentine Super Rugby franchise is littered with internationals, and they have been tipped to be contenders for the title this season.

The South American country’s rugby has gone from strength to strength since joining South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in the Rugby Championship four years ago. Their participation in Super Rugby will arguably boost their game even more.

The Jaguares weren’t convincing against the Stormers in their first warm-up match ahead of their maiden campaign, but they scored a 49-28 victory over a second-string Lions outfit last weekend to give them some momentum.

The scrum should be their biggest weapon, as all Argentine sides are known for their scrumming. However, coach Raul Perez would have been concerned after the Stormers’ pack bullied them in this department.

It seems that they are also going to continue with the new attacking direction that their Test team have adopted over the last few years. They will definitely not be scared to counter-attack, but they will also need to adapt to the pace of the game at Super Rugby level.

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Key player: Santiago Cordero; this kid first came to the fore during the 2012 Junior World Championships when, in the No 15 jersey, he skinned opposition teams alive with his blistering pace and hot-stepping.

He had a great World Cup on the right wing, and was instrumental in Argentina’s run to the semi-finals of last year’s tournament.

Don’t be surprised to see him popping up at first receiver to spark the team on attack.