[2018 Super Rugby] Round 10: Brumbies vs. Jaguares (22/04/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: GIO Stadium
​

Time: 08:05 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[FNS]

Could it be? Can we perform again or we are going to flop?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Probably the two most improved sides since the first couple of weeks. Brumbies starting to score a lot more points recently so this would be another very good scalp for the Jaguares.

 

[AM_Bokke]

Great weekend coming up. Lots of intriguing games at spots up and down the log. Including this one!

The most improved thing about the Jags is their discipline. Their set plays and scrums are also improving. Coupled those two aspects with what appears to be a willingness to mix up the line ups a bit and it appears that the Jags are starting to find their raison d'etre. Good to see!

The only Brumbies that I have watched this year is the first half of the Highlander's game (they have not toured yet) so I'm not sure but Pocock being back appears to be helping.

Tight game. Jags by 3.

 

[Horacito]

I'm quite excited about this. I'll try and have faith, because it's leap day. Let's go jaguardos!

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

This game will speak volumes in terms of how much the team has evolved, at least for me. I am really curious about how this will go.
This season has had some very deep lows, but some remarkable highs.
During seasons 1 & 2 we lost every single 50/50 game. Every single one (not counting games against Lions in BsAs as both times they presented a second team).
This has changed this season and i couldn't be happier. The only issue i have is the noise around our last victory. If you look at Argentine media it's as if we played the perfect game against the most brutal opposition ever imagined. The idea of winning and having an ounce of criticism is non existent.
Again, i am very happy about last week game's result, but the result depended clearly on 3 things that, at least no one in Argentina talked about:
1) Genia out.
2) Last minute call from the Rebels was pretty stupid. Not because they went for a try, but because they should have gone for line (our line out is bad, our maul defense is poor AND the kick would have gotten them closer to the in goal).
3) as much as i like and applaud the way Moyano handled that situation, i am pretty confident he's lose the ball 99 times out of a 100 if he tried that again.

Broad strokes:
I am happy about discipline, scrums (started off pretty bad now it is ok) and increasing confidence in general.
I am not happy about line outs, maul defense close to the ingoal and defense in general, specially when playing against teams that open the ball wide fast.
Undecided: attack. Sometimes we are pretty good (vs tahs), sometimes we are clueless (vs Reds).

For me this game will show whether the games against Lions and Rebels were outliers or a change in trend. Can't wait.

 

[saulan]

So far this is going well for me, I'm the only one in my office pool who backed the Jaguares to win the match, and I'm in line to get a grand slam for the weekend as well as beat my manager who I am currently tied with 4-4 on the head to head.

Surprised only 16% of the Superbru population backed the Jaguares though. They started well on their tour and essentially beat a stronger team than this last week. Hopefully there aren't any brain fades or poor second halves, but at the very least this should have been seen by most as a tight game.

 

[saulan]

Since I wrote that the Brumbies have scored 10 unanswered points, sorry guys I might have jinxed things. Still would have expected more people to back the Jags though.

 

[mdaclarke]

Well done Brumbies!! First Australian team to win a log point this week. You've done Australia proud

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Discipline has improved a lot for us, and the impact is huge. I am very happy about our performance. Having said that, the ref had a few questionable calls and some of the brumbies brain farted at one point or another.
They were a bit unlucky here and there too. When we were a man down, at one point they had possession, they open wide from their 22, and one of their guys while going towards our backs where we had one less, decides to kick the ball the split second he leaves the 22. Not only that, but the ball goes straight out so line out for us on their 22. Then we try to milk time and eventually manage to even score a try, on the very same side we were a man down. So a very silly and easy to correct mistake costed the ponies 7 points and a enough time for us to get boffelli back.

I really like our pack, no silly penalties, good on defense, except maybe when defending line/mauls. That is becoming an issue.
The thing we do need to address is defense of your back three. Boffelli is really, i mean, really bad at defending. It's just sad to watch. Unless some of the centers come closing in to assist we could just put a cone there and it would make little difference.

And the yellow card.... that was plain dumb. If you know you are not going to make it (he knew, that's why he raised his hands), just grab the player in the air, and put him down. That's a penalty but not yellow card. I understand sometimes it's hard to make split second decisions but he realized he wasn't going to make it, slowed down, decided not to jump, raised his hands and ducked a bit. It wasn't that he didnt have time to decide, it's that he made the wrong decision.

Overall, very happy. This is not just one game, but at least 3 games where the Jaguares showed up as underdogs and got out with a win (Lions, Rebels and this one). That is a huge momentum shift for us.

I have to admit i was very sceptic when the season started and recall Bruce saying to give Ledesma time. He was right.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

What can I say? If you air enough opinions eventually you will get one right!

Delighted for Jaguares and Pumas fans that after some tough years they have developed a second competent coach (excluding Quesada).

They are 5 points behind 7th on the combined log and looking at fixtures I will be disappointed if the Jaguares don't make playoffs (Bulls, Sharks and Rebels will be the main competition).

With Super Rugby seemingly at a bit of a low ebb financially and amongst fans
(in Oz and SA) I am worried Argentina will be asked to leave for cost cutting reasons. That becomes harder to do if they can establish a regular playoff presence.

 

[smartcooky]

Well that finishes off a rather dismal weekend for the Aussie teams... all four lost.

There's no solace over in the other code either, where the Warriors knocked over the previously unbeaten Dragons.

 

[FNS]

Good game from Jags overall. If we kicked better this was a 10+.

Good tackles over all but i dont know if that was us or if Brumbies lacked physical power.

ps. Boffelli despite that penalty is playing well even if he does not defend( i liked he said sorry a second later and went to the brumbies player to say he was wrong, not complain just admiring his mistake)