Jaguares could fall victim to the virus

COVID-19 is reeking all kinds of havoc around rugby and one of the most depressing prospects is the possible demise of the Jaguares, Argentina’s one full-time professional franchise and flag bearers in the Super Rugby tournament which is in grave danger unless a vaccine can quickly be discovered.

This season has been binned, next season is almost certainly a right off. And even before Covid there was talk of restructuring Super Rugby on a regional basis. Financially it is difficult to see how the Jaguares could survive with just domestic opposition for much of the season.

Jaguares players on short term contracts are being encouraged to seek employment elsewhere and coach Gonzalo Queseda has led the charge, returning to Stade Francais while highly-rated lock Guido Petti has joined Bordeaux. Fellow lock Marcos Kremer is also likely to join Stade and hooker Julian Montoya has been linked with Leicester.

The Jaguares concept is not without its critics and cessation of that important relationship with French club rugby was certainly one huge downside but it would be churlish not to recognise just how far they have come in a short time. Starting from scratch in 2016, with many of their players out on their feet after

RWC2015, in just four seasons they managed to improve from also-rans to losing finalists to Canterbury last summer. Given the phenomenal amount of travelling involved that was miraculous.

They had put in the hard yards and the next couple of seasons could have been pretty special.