Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd knows a Trojan horse when he sees one.
The Jaguares arrive in Wellington with a one win, four loss record that says little about how the Argentinian side have played during the start of their inaugural Investec Super Rugby season.
While the visitor’s record outwardly suggests the Hurricanes should clock up their fourth win in succession, Boyd knows nothing will gift wrapped for his side at Westpac Stadium on Saturday
"They've been really unlucky, they play a lot of football and are probably the most optimistic team in the competition. Their eight-point loss to the Blues was their biggest loss to date," he said.
The Jaguares 24-16 loss at Eden Park last week came after equally narrow margins against the Sharks (19-15), Chiefs (30-26), and Stormers (13-8).
The South Americans had won their opening match 34-33 against the Cheetahs and Boyd knows his side will be their second victim if they don’t front up physically as they come off their bye week.
While the Hurricanes started the season with plenty of injuries, their squad is nearing full strength and full of confidence after wins over the Blues, Force, and Kings.
James Marshall is out with concussion, but everyone else is fit and available and competition for places is heating up.
In the pack loose forwards Victor Vito (calf) and Brad Shields (thumb) return at No 8 and blindside respectively, pushing Blade Thomson to lock and Vaea Fifita to the bench, while prop Reggie Goodes comes back from concussion at loosehead.
In the backs Julian Savea returns to the wing with Jason Woodward dropping back to fullback, while a rejigged reserves bench see previously injured Samoan test hooker Motu Matu’u back in the squad and the return of first five Otere Black.
In this fast paced encounter, the respective benches could be key.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Plenty of running. The Jaguares have not died wondering in their first season of Super Rugby, often at their own detriment. First five Nicholas Sanchez is a man who simply can’t resist the chance to move the ball to space regardless of where his side is on the park. The result has been plenty of high risk rugby, but not a lot of tries. What the Jaguares have in spirit, they lack in polish. They are third in the competition when it comes to defenders beaten, but last equal when it comes to tries scored and first when it comes to yellow cards. The risk for the Hurricanes is the passes finally start to stick. The risk for the Jaguares is they don’t because the Hurricanes are the best in the business when it comes to punishing turnover ball.
HEAD TO HEAD
Dane Coles v Julian Montoya
The Jaguares selection policy for their four match tour down under means Coles won’t get to square off against the Pumas incumbent hooker and Jaguares captain Agustin Creevy. However, the fact that he’ll mark Montoya shows the sort of depth the Jaguares have. Still only 22, Montoya is a seasoned test player himself and started for the Pumas against South Africa in the bronze final at last year’s Rugby World Cup.
KEY POINTS
The Hurricanes wings have plenty to play for with Cory Jane in his 100th match for the club and Julian Savea back in the starting side after being given a week off to freshen up. The two world class wings are sure to feature heavily in a match that should be full of running. Neither side will mind that, but with Thomson at lock , Vito, Ardie Savea, and Brad Shields in the loose forwards and Fifita and Callum Gibbins in reserve, the Hurricanes will fancy their chances in a foot race to the wide rucks.
KEY STATS
The Hurricanes and Jaguares have never played each other before, but meet on something of an historic occasion at Westpac Stadium. It will be the Hurricanes 100th “home” match at the venue since Super Rugby kicked off in 1996, but in a quirky statistic, the 101st time they have played at Westpac Stadium. That’s because in June 2011 the Hurricanes played an “away” fixture against the Crusaders “home” match was shifted north due to the earthquake which had devastated Christchurch.
Teams:
Hurricanes: Jason Woodward, Cory Jane, Willis Halaholo, Ngani Laumape, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Victor Vito, Ardie Savea, Brad Shields, Blade Thomson, Michael Fatialofa, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Dane Coles (c), Reggie Goodes. Reserves: Motu Matu’u, Chris Eves, Ben May, Vaea Fifita, Callum Gibbins, Jamison Gibson-Park, Otere Black, Matt Proctor.
Jaguares: Emiliano Boffelli, Matias Orlando, Matias Moroni, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Manuel Montero, Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo (c), Leonardo Senatore, Rodrigo Baez, Pablo Matera, Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti, Ramiro Herrera, Julian Montoya, Santiago Garcia Botta. Reserves: Facundo Bosch, Roberto Tejerizo, Enrique Pieretto, Juan Cruz Guillemain, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Gonzalo Bertranou, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Ramiro Moyano