'Ready to go': Jaguares set for early return to Super Rugby if Rebels fall over
Six months after Argentina rugby president  Gabriel Travaglini revealed the Jaguares had been invited to return to Super Rugby in 2026, Super Rugby officials…
The Kings will be looking to kick-start their 2017 Super Rugby campaign with a winning start when they take on Argentina’s Jaguares on Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores from the game, starting from 2:15am AEDT.
The Nelson Mandela Bay side wrapped up their pre-season preparations with wins against the Eagles and Border Bulldogs. Victories against Currie Cup First Division sides is less of a challenge than their Super Rugby foes, of course.
The team, however, will be heading into Round 1 full of confidence, and will be hoping to improve from 2016’s two wins from 15 games in this year’s instalment of the competition.
The Kings starting XV will feature new Super Rugby caps in wing Makazole Mapimpi, centre Berton Klaasen and the lock pairing of Irne Herbst and Mzwanele Zito, who are going to be looking to make an impression from the first minute.
The Jaguares have one uncapped player, Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, who will be starting at flyhalf, partnering up with scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou. The two replace the injured Martin Landajo and Nicholas Sanchez – a massive blow for the Argentine based side.
One cannot predict what to expect from a new-look Southern Kings side, but we can expect from the Jaguares powerful scrummaging and a very skilful, experienced backline which possesses the likes of Santiago Cordero and Joaquín Tuculet, with a lot of speed to burn.
Neither of these sides had any great deal of success in 2016, but matched up against each other in the first round of the new season they now both have a great chance to start 2017 on a high note. Who will it be that gets the win?
Join The Roar for live scores from the game, starting from 2:15am AEDT.