The Jaguares will progress to a first ever Super Rugby final if they beat the Brumbies in the first of this weekend’s semi-finals at the Estadio Amalfitani on Saturday.
Jaguares v Brumbies
01h05
Estadio Amalfitani
To Win
Jagaures 11/20
Draw 25/1
Brumbies 16/10
Handicap
Jagaures (-4) 9/10
Gonzalo Quesada’s men accumulated the third-most points in the round robin stages this season, winning the South Africa conference in the process and ensuring they would host a quarterfinal and possibly a semi-final too.
While a Crusaders loss to the Hurricanes at home in the second semi remains unlikely, an upset would mean the South Americans host the final itself. For a side only inserted into the competition in 2016, and which has had to overcome any number of obstacles along the way, this marks a huge achievement for rugby in Argentina.
Naturally, naysayers point to the fact that theirs is effectively the Argentine national team in all but name, but this shouldn’t detract from what is certainly a rugby success story – and one surely not due to end anytime soon.
In seeing off the likes of, amongst others, the Hurricanes, Chiefs, Bulls, Sharks as well as this week’s opponents (a 20-15 result in Buenos Aires in April), the Jaguares will be riding a wave of confidence heading into this one.
The Brumbies, though, have themselves played some good footy this campaign, winning the Australia conference and last week seeing off a feeble Sharks outfit 38-13 in Canberra. They have players capable of breaking the gain line seemingly at will, something the Durbanites learned the hard way.
With wet conditions not entirely out of the equation, Christian Lealiifano and his backs need to ensure their tactical kicking is pinpoint; not least so because of Emiliano Boffelli and company’s uncanny counter-attacking ability from the back.
Verdict: Jaguares (-4) 9/10
The Australians should be in it for much of the contest, but jet lag is sure to have a say at some stage. Considering the physicality of the Jaguares, they should manage to capitalize in key moments and advance to the title-decider.
Writeen by Shaun Goosen for Hollywoodbets
