Jaguares start with nailbiting win
The teams scored four tries each, but Argentinian superstar flyhalf Nicolás Sánchez slotted a drop-goal in the 71st minute to secure the win.
It was the best of rugby; it was the worst of rugby – to steal Charles Dickens's idea. There was much to be excited about and some to find reprehensible.
It is devoutly to be wished that the Jaguares find far more self-control and better manners on the field. Too much that happened was unacceptable within the mores of Super Rugby – not just the two yellow cards and a possible third but the emotional flare-ups and the desire of so many players to referee. They are too noisy.
But what was delightful was their desire to run with the ball and support each other, as exemplified in that thrilling try that Martín Landajo scored, a try that started 80 metres downfield. And then there was their exquisite footwork, even from hooker Agustín Creevy as he lumbered towards the line. But it is so wonderful to see players beat an opponent by avoiding him and not seeking him out to bang into him. It is so good to see a player pass to put a team-mate away. Ands lots of them could do all of that.
Also impressive was their kicking – kicking to get profit from it not just a mindless banging downfield. The difference between the kicking and the receipt of kicks was chalk and cheese. The Cheetahs did both poorly, the Jaguares both splendidly.
It was their positive attitude that enabled the Jaguares to recover from 24-3 down to win this match in Bloemfontein.
But at the same time one should doff a humble hat to the Cheetahs. They took on a team with 21 Test players (Pumas) in their squad of 23. They had 11 players who played in the 2015 Rugby World Cup when they ended fourth behind New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, a team that smashed Ireland 43-20 in the quarterfinal. The Cheetahs took them on and lost by one meagre point, despite missing out on 13 points' worth of kicks at goal themselves.
It was certainly an interesting match, thrilling and annoying and even when it was annoying it was interesting.
The Jaguares played in orange jerseys, the Cheetahs in mainly black. Before the match started there was a minute's silence to honour the recently departed Springbok and former Free State captain, Klippies Kritzinger.
The Cheetahs were first penalised and Sánchez, the top points' scorer at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, missed – his only miss of the evening. The penalty count in the match was interesting – 13-6 to Jaguares but later in the match the Argentinians preferred attacking line-outs to kicks at goal.
Early in the match Raymond Rhule went on a fast and sinewy run but lacked support and was penalised. And when the Cheetahs' try came it was courtesy of a Sánchez error.
The Jaguares won a line-out and Sánchez ballooned a pass to his left which Francois Venter intercepted and off the powerful centre raced some 70 metres to the posts. 7-0 after 10 minutes, but the Cheetahs bungled the kick-off and were penalised. This time Sánchez goaled. 7-3 after 12 minutes.
A second intercept nearly brought another try for the Cheetahs. This time it was Sergeal Petersen who intercepted on the left in his own half and was brought down right at the Jaguares' goal-line where Sánchez used illegal means to prevent the scoring of a try and was yellowcarded. The Cheetahs won a five-metre line-out and peeled around the front. Torsten van Jaarsveld was in the act of scoring when Landajo kicked at the ball (and Van Jaarsveld's head). The law specifically forbids such an act because it is dangerous and therefore foul play. Off Landajo went to the sin bin and the referee awarded a penalty try. 14-3 after 18 minutes with both Jaguares fullbacks sitting next to each other in the sin bin.
Back came the 15 men to attack the 13, and they threw deep into a line-out in Jaguares territory. The Cheetahs seemed about to go left when Fred Zeilinga switched to the right drew a man and sent Van Jaarsveld over for a try. Zeilinga missed the easy conversion. 19-3 after 23 minutes.
A great run down the midfield by Lood de Jager set the Cheetahs on the attack and they were bashing at the line. Rhule threw a cleverly lobbed pass to unmarked William Small-Smith who scored in the left corner. Well after he had scored lock Tomás Lavanini slid at him with a leading knee, which may well have earned his side a third yellow card. 24-3 after 24 minutes.
Then the halfbacks came on and the Jaguares set about improving their situation.
A penalty produced an attacking maul. Creevy broke away from it, beat a Cheetah with nimble footwork and flicked an underarm pass to Landajo who scored. 24-10.
Another penalty, another maul and this time Creevy scored. 24-17, which was the half-time score.
It as Sánchez's skill which drew the scores level. The Jaguares were between the Cheetahs 22 and the half-way line when he kicked a perfectly weighted diagonal to the right where tall Leonardo Senatore caught the ball and played it infield to Rodrigo Báez who scored. 24-24.
The Cheetahs looked certain to score as they raced down the left but Santiago Cordero, he of the best dancing feet of all, tackled Rhule into touch.
Zeilinga goaled two penalties and the Cheetahs led 30-24 after 55 minutes.
The Jaguares attacked but lost the ball inside the Cheetahs 22. Rhule got the ball and hoofed it far downfield and raced after it. Emiliano Boffelli got the ball but Rhule ankletapped him. Boffelli got up and gave to stocky Matías Orlando who raced downfield, swerving and beating Cheetahs till he gave inside to Landajo who raced the last 25 metres, swerving away from defenders to score near the posts.
It was a try to savour, and the Jaguares led 31-30 with 15 minutes to play.
Sánchez dropped a goal and it was 34-30 with 10 minutes to play.
Niel Marais goaled a penalty and it was 34-33 with seven minutes to play.
Deep in their half the Cheetahs got the ball and were making ground upfield when for the 11th time in the match they were penalised at the tackle. The Jaguares kicked out, and they had won the very first Super Rugby match that they had ever played.
Man of the Match: It has to be one of those dancing feet and we have chosen the least likely of them – the burly captain and hooker Agustín Creevy, not just for his footwork but for his nonstop, effective work in his team's service.
The scorers:
For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Venter, Van Jaarsveld, Small-Smith, Penalty try
Cons: Zeilinga 2
Pens: Zeilinga 2, Marais
For the Jaguares:
Tries: Landajo 2, Creevy, Baez
Cons: Sanchez 4
Pen: Sanchez
DG: Sanchez
Yellow card: Nicolas Sanchez (Jaguares, 16 – professional foul, playing the ball on the ground), Martin Landajo (Jaguares, 18 – foul play, kicking the ball out of a player's hand and making contact with the head)
Teams:
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Francois Venter (captain), 12 William Small-Smith, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Johannes Prinsloo, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Nicolaas van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Charles Marais.
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Retshegofaditswe Nche, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Reniel Hugo, 20 Henco Venter, 21 Paul Schoeman, 22 Tian Meyer, 23 Niel Marais.
Jaguares: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo De la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Rodrigo Báez, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (captain), 1 Lucas Noguera.
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Matías Orlando.
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
