Jaguars to tour Georgia, Portugal and Ireland

[Melhor Time]

Dates set for the November international test window. Great chances for Georgia and Portugal to build bridges. Future opportunities exist for these teams to tour Uruguay, Chile and Argentina and to host Argentina's senior team. The test window of the Six Nations needs to be used. Portugal could host a test for Argentina at this time and Argentina would benefit from fielding emerging players based in Europe. There are plenty in Italy for starters. Georgia should push to host Argentina. The match vs Argentina in Lyon at the World Cup was fascinating. Half time was 6-3 to Arg...... The Jaguars are an appropriate level to test the Georgian test team. Great for both parties. The game vs Georgia is the 50th anniversary of rugby in the country.

The Jaguars will play in Canada and the USA in October vs 1. USA A, 2. the winner of the new Canadian league and 3. Canada A.

October

Oct 10 USA A vs Jaguars
Oct 17 Canadian Champ vs Jaguars
Oct 21 Canada A vs Jaguars

November

Nov 01 Jaguars vs Uruguay
Nov 06 Jaguars vs Uruguay
Nov 14 Georgia vs Jaguars, Tblisi
Nov 21 Portugal vs Jaguars, Lisboa
Nov 27 Ireland A vs Jaguars

Two Italian based players and 40 based in Argentina. Very interesting to see that a number of superior Argentina based players will not be part of the Jaguars for these matches. The reason being that Santiago Phelan wants them for the November tests vs Wales, England and Scotland. This Novmerb will be historicall in that the test team and the 'A' team will be touring at the same time.

Jaguars Squad:
1 AGULLA, Belisario, Hindú Club, U.R.B.A
2 ALBARRACIN, Francisco, La Plata R.C , U.R.B.A
3 BAEZ, Rodrigo, Liceo R.C, Cuyo
4 BARRERA ORO, Lucas Bernardo, Universitario Tucumán
5 BETTOLLI, César Felipe, Tucumán Lawn Tennis, Tucumán
6 BRUNO, Rodrigo, Jockey de Villa María, Cordobesa
7 BRUZZONE, Nicolás Ariel, S.I.C, U.R.B.A
8 BUSTILLO, Esteban, Club Newman, U.R.B.A
9 BUSTOS MOYANO, Martín, Córdoba Athletic, Cordobesa
10 BUSTOS, Maximiliano, L' Aquila Rugby, F.I.R
11 CÃCERES, Carlos José, Tucumán Lawn Tennis, Tucumán
12 CÃCERES, Dino, Tucumán Lawn Tennis, Tucumán
13 CORTESE, Matías, Liceo R.C, Cuyo
14 CREEVY, Agustín, San Luis, U.R.B.A
15 CUBELLI, Francisco, Belgrano Athletic Club, U.R.B.A
16 CUBELLI, Tomás, Belgrano Athletic Club, U.R.B.A
17 DE NARVAEZ, MatíasCavalieri Prato, F.I.R
18 DE VEDIA, Tomás, S.I.C, U.R.B.A
19 FULCO, Ãlvaro, Duendes R.C, Rosario
20 GALARZA, Mariano, Universitario de La Plata, U.R.B.A
21 GOMEZ KODELA, Francisco, Belgrano Athletic Club, U.R.B.A
22 GONZALEZ IGLESIAS, Santiago, Asociación Alumni, U.R.B.A
23 GUIDONE, Mauricio Raúl, La Plata R.C, U.R.B.A
24 GUZMAN, Agustín, Tucumán R.C, Tucumán
25 GUZMÃN, Santiago Nicolás, Tucumán R.C, Tucumán
26 IMHOFF, Juan José, Duendes R.C, Rosario
27 LANDAJO, Martín, C.A.S.I, U.R.B.A
28 LUCCHETTI, Joaquín, Belgrano Athletic, U.R.B.A
29 MAC, Paolo, Jockey Club, Rosario
30 MACOME, Benjamín, Tucumán R.C., Tucumán
31 MERELLO, Francisco Josém Regatas de Bella Vista, U.R.B.A
32 MERLO, Federico, Universitario, Santafesina
33 MOLINA, Pablo Alberto, La Plata R.C, U.R.B.A
34 PASMAN, Ignacio, Champagnat, U.R.B.A
35 ROAN, Guillermo, La Plata R.C, U.R.B.A
36 ROAN, Tomás, La Plata R.C, U.R.B.A
37 SAN MARTIN, Horacio Alberto, Tala R.C, Cordobesa
38 SANCHEZ, Federico Nicolás, Tucumán Lawn Tennis, Tucumán
39 SCHIERANO, Hugo, Tala R.C, Cordobesa
40 SENATORE, Leonardo, G.E.R, Rosario
41 TETAZ CHAPARRO, Francisco Nahuel, La Plata R.C, U.R.B.A
42 TUCULET, Joaquín, Los Tilos, U.R.B.A
43 URDAPILLETA, Benjamín, C.U.B.A., U.R.B.A

 

[Juan VdS]

Great post Melhor. I am awestruck, you really know your facts! I am pleased to hear the Jaguars are getting regular matches and practice, for they need to raise their level for the 4N. I know Esteban Bustillo very well (I used to play in Newman Club) and he's cartwheeling all over the place.

Also, it's nice to see some guys from Córdoba being included. Rugby in Argentina used to be strictly limited to Buenos Aires, leaving the "hinterland" utterly forsaken and fallen into oblivion. However, clubs from Córdoba and Tucuman are starting to provide a flow of talented players to join the Jaguars, and that will ultimately end up in Los Pumas. Great stuff!

 

[Prestwick]

Having the Jaguars vs Georgia would be a good fixture and a good stepping stone to developing the sport in the country. More so for Portugal who should now build on their 2007 World Cup campaign..

 

[Juan VdS]

Indeed, Prestwick. I can't wait to see the Jaguars fronting up to the power of Juan Muré and Gonçalo Uva, as well as the pace and distribution of Pedro Leal and Pedro Cabral. Keep an eye on Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias and Benjamín Urdapilleta. These guys have been playing very well for Alumni and CUBA.

 

[QLD]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Sep 23 2009, 09:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Having the Jaguars vs Georgia would be a good fixture and a good stepping stone to developing the sport in the country. More so for Portugal who should now build on their 2007 World Cup campaign..[/b]

Great news but is anything happening with Spain? They got over 30,000 for a top 14 game over there recently, there's grassroots in Spain and Portugal.

 

[Juan VdS]

Spain's situation quite resembles that of Argentina years ago. Football is all Spaniards care to watch, and Rugby remains a sport played by "an elite". They've got the grassroots, that's a fact, but the crux of the matter lies on whether the FER wants to commit into developing a professional competition that could go along the lines of the French TOP 14. Personally, I'd like to see "El XV del León" playing the Jaguars or any other team for that matter... I mean, it's the only path to actually grabbing people's attention! <_<

The issue is that -- like in Argentina -- people are bound to neglect all other sports but the one they have been playing the most. And let me say that football is exactly the opposite to Rugby... no team work, no comradeship, no loyalty, and little sacrifice. It's all about whose paycheck's got more zeros. That really deteriorates people's perception towards other sports. Example: leaving aside the Argentinians that actually do care about Rugby and follow Los Pumas, few people were content with Argentina's inclusion to the Tri-Nations -- it was all about the National football team getting obliterated in consecutive games. :wall:

Anyway, I hope Spain as a whole will continue to delve into the Rugby world as time flies by; Portugal's campaign in the RWC 2007 was not bad at all, and the players' commitment will help develop the situation there. The potential is certainly there. They only need to make use of it.

 

[Juan VdS]

Mauricio Reggiardo and Alejandro Molineuvo have finally made public the list of players that will face USA A on the 10th of October.

Very nice selection. Expect some brutal physicality in the fringe areas and many rapier-like line breaks. Federico Merlo will pose some devastating scrummaging skills in the front row. Horacio San Martín somehow reminds me of Gonzalo Tiesi, and I expect him to deliver his dynamic game against the Americans. The coaches have two great fullbacks in Bustos Moyano and Barrera Oro, both extremely reliable under the high ball and always active in the backline (not to mention Barrera Oro is famous for his drop kicking skills).

Looking forward to the game! :bravo: