Ramiro Moyano scored a hat-trick as the Jaguares claimed a 41-14 bonus-point win against the Cheetahs in Buenos Aires on Saturday. JON CARDINELLI reports.
The Cheetahs battled to live with the power and intensity of a Jaguares team stacked with internationals. The hosts dominated the breakdowns and collisions and sought to play the game at a furious pace. They raced to a 10-0 lead inside 19 minutes.
Matias Alemanno crossed for the Jaguares’ second try and another successful kick by Juan Martín Hernández stretched the lead to 17 points. The Cheetahs scored a try of their own through Michael van der Spuy in the 26th minute, but this was cancelled out three minutes later when Moyano claimed his second try of the afternoon.
The Cheetahs attempted to hit back, but the Jaguares’ defence was equal to the tastk. The hosts went to the break with a commanding 24-7 lead.
Despite the advantage, the Jaguares showed no signs of complacency. When they were awarded a penalty early in the second half, Hernandez kicked for goal.
The Cheetahs had their chances in the second stanza, but were undone by their own handling errors as much as the solid Jaguares defence. However, when Santiago González Iglesias was yellow-carded late in the game for foul play, the Cheetahs did manage to score through replacement hooker Joseph Dweba.
Moyano scored his third in the 76th minute after the visitors failed to control a high ball. A late surge culminated in a penalty try for the hosts, a score that secured them the try-scoring bonus point.
Jaguares – Tries: Ramiro Moyano (3), Matías Alemanno, Penalty try. Conversions: Juan Martín Hernández (4). Penalties: Juan Martín Hernández (2).
Cheetahs – Try: Michael van der Spuy, Joseph Dweba. Conversions: Niel Marais (2).
Jaguares – 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Santiago Cordero, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Tomás Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Marcos Kremer, 3 Felipe Arregui, 2 Agustín Creevy (c), 1 Santiago García Botta.
Subs: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Ramiro Herrera, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Ignacio Larrague, 21 Javier Ortega Desio, 22 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Bautista Ezcurra.
Cheetahs – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Ryno Benjamin, 13 Michael van Spuy, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Ruan van Rensburg, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Tian Meyer (c), 8 Niell Jordaan, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Henco Venter, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Armandt Koster, Tom Botha, 2 Elandré Huggett, 1 Danie Mienie.
Subs: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Johan Coetzee, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Paul Schoeman, 21 William Small-Smith/Boom Prinsloo, 22 Shaun Venter, 23 Fred Zeilinga.
Photo: Alejandro Pagni/AFP/Getty Images
