The Jaguares will return home in Round 8 of the Super Rugby season fresh of a bye, aiming to keep their run of form alive against the Crusaders. Join The Roar for live scores from 7:40am (AEST).
The Jaguares have certainly started the 2018 season better than the last one, winning two of their first six matches.
While it doesn’t look impressive on paper, they have found some form at home in the last few weeks.
Before their bye last week, the Argentine outfit had played three straight games at home, managing to pick up strong victories over the Waratahs and Lions, where they ran up 49 points against the strong South African outfit.
While that was separated by a loss to the Reds, their form has been much improved and if they can get their attack firing like it has been, they may be hard to stop.
What almost isn’t debatable though, is that the Crusaders are a stronger side than both the Waratahs and Lions, who they ran up so many points on.
Without their attack, the Jaguares may struggle to hang onto the defence given their defensive effort recently.
While the Crusaders are still one of the best sides in the competition, they haven’t quite been themselves this season, despite winning four of their six.
They have struggled to assert dominance with regular authority, settling for a scrappy 14-8 win over the Lions last week. It’s the first time they have showed any real sign of consistency, winning two straight after heavily beating the Bulls the week before.
Their attack has been a little up and down, so they, unlike the Jaguares, will be relying on this being a low-scoring game. Their defence has generally been good though, so logic says they should be able to do that and stay in front of the game.
Prediction
The Jaguares are better at home, but the Crusaders are a professional outfit and as they continue to chase top spot in the New Zealand conference, it’s hard to see them losing this one.
Crusaders by 12.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of the match from 7:40am (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Nobrain
Roar Guru
Because they defeated Australia in a very weak moment of them and SA as well. Crusaders is a great team that plays great defense and clinical went the get the ball back. Great in the ABC of rugby. But I think Jaguares had a good performance in a couple of games. What you do not understand is that Argentina does not count with the base players that NZ have. Pumas are good to make once in a while upsets but not ready to have a team that can dominate for a long period of time. And if you back and read your first comment taht started all this you will understand better my reaction.
Johnny Boy
Guest
The Crusaders are eight time champions but were missing the following first choice players on the weekend - Kieran Read, Joe Moody, Owen Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Scott Barrett, Richie Mounga, Jack Goodhue and Israel Dagg. That's six All Blacks and two others who will be All Blacks in 2018. I am not suggesting that the Jaguares should win the comp, but simply to perform a hell of a lot better than they are doing now. Anyway, it's clear that you refuse to listen to reason. These same players playing as the Pumas in the RC have beaten both the Wallabies and the Boks over the last two years which can only mean one thing - they have so clearly under-performed at Super Rugby level against much weaker opposition. I don't know why you refuse to admit this.
Nobrain
Roar Guru
What ever JB, the one that started was you. I only stating facts. The one or two players you mention will be 5 or 6. You are trying to compare a team that has won SR 8 times and played the comp from the beginning. I did not know you are from NZ so I would have add all the help you get from the refs.?
Johnny Boy
Guest
What are you trying to prove, Nobrain? Initially you come out chest pumping with the boast that your team did so well in the RWC and now are backtracking and saying that their RWC achievement was only due to playing weak teams. Well, if memory serves, they pushed the ABs for a good 65 minutes in the pool match, beat a very good Irish team and had they been more clinical in converting some of the multiple try scoring opportunities created against Wallabies, they would have won that game and made the final. As for the Pumas being able to pick players form outside of the Super comp for the RWC, I am aware of that but realistically we are talking of one or two players only. Besides, this is the same RC team that has beaten the Boks and the Wallabies over the last couple of years so we all know they can play. Your ignorance and cheap shot about NZ teams selecting from the Islands just shows how little knowledge you have of the demographics of that country. FYI, we are not talking about a RWC here, but rather about a provincial tournament where the team they played had traveled half way around the world and were missing so many of their top International players. But keep on making excuses to cover up how poorly your team have played over the last couple of years against a bunch of provincial teams. I'm not buying it however.
Nobrain
Roar Guru
JB, you either do not know much of this comp or you are overetimating what you saw in the RWC. Los Pumas only won one game against a tier 1 Nation in the last RWC, a depleted Ireland team, then they lost to the three nations from the south. Argentina never was on the top 5 teams on the world. That you come out 3 or 4 in the RWC does not mean that the position equal your place in the IRB ranking. Argentina position always been between 6 and 10. And by the way, Jaguares is not the same of Los Pumas. We play with the same team in RCH but we take players that are in Europe as well for RWC. The are all born and raise in Argentina and learned how to play rugby over here. You will not see anybody born in Samoa , Fiji, ect in our team. So pls , get into things that you know before coming up with misleading comments.
Johnny Boy
Guest
What are you on about? What has soccer got to do with a rugby discussion? Continue with your low expectations and continue making excuses for how badly your National team is doing in a provincial comp and you will continue to see mediocre performances from them. Learn how to accept criticism that is justified and don't be so ultra sensitive. One of the reasons why I am so harsh on them is precisely because they did perform so well in the last WC and were in the top 5 teams in world rugby just a couple of years ago. Based on that alone, these guys should be challenging for the Super comp every year, and not continue to dwell near the bottom of the table. The fact that they are getting demolished at home is just not acceptable whether you want to acknowledge it or not.
Nobrain
Roar Guru
Sorry Johnny Boy, but we are here to stay. Your soccer has been pathetic since ever and you play anyway. How many years before you show in the WC. If the world has to stand to watch your soccer what on earth make you think our rugby should not be in there. At least we came 3rd and 4th in RWCs. What was your best soccer WC look like?
ajg
Guest
not the whole game. i am referring to the scorelines of a lot of the games this year - theyre deeply uncompetitive
Johnny Boy
Guest
So the Argentinian national side loses by 26 points at home to a Super side missing so many of their top players. I don't know why these guys don't get criticised more, but their performances in Super Rugby thus far have been nothing short of pathetic.
Highlander
Guest
Did you actually watch this or just look at the score
Highlander
Guest
Jags not 26 points the poorer side today, crucial errors at key times Crusaders pounced on every half chance All four halfbacks on show labourious Whitelock, Todd, Crotty and Bridge all good for the Cantabs
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
Crusaders made to work for the win but masters at absorbing pressure and striking when it matters. Jaguares shouldn’t be disheartened. They just need to apply pressure by finishing off their chances.
ajg
Guest
too many blowout scorelines despite some early promise it is looking like the comp is getting worse not better. uncompetitive sides playing each other is dull.
moaman
Guest
Scoreline in no way reflects the effort the Jaguares have put in here.
Highlander
Guest
How typically Crusaders Getting smashed in the scrum in their own 22 They then win third one kick for territory, charge down the halfback and Crotty scores And then they hit again from long range Game over Jags looking lots better but boy is concentration for 80 an issue
Highlander
Guest
Jags will be wondering how they are behind at halftime with a duck egg. Their passing before the line has been excellent, Sanchez very good (cant remember the last time I thought that) But give the Little England Pony Club a sniff and they will hurt you, exactly what happened.
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
Planned move, Highlander. Trained all week for it even though it never worked once.
Highlander
Guest
Crotty and Bateman lying injured on the park, defending with 13,and Bridge nicks an intercept to score for the Crusaders, that’s a bit lucky.