STORMERS coach Robbie Fleck has described Argentina’s new representatives in Super Rugby, the Jaguares, as "one of the favourites" to win the title — and this weekend, his charges will see first hand what the fuss is about.
The Jaguares take on the Stormers in a pre season friendly at Newlands on Saturday, and barring one or two players, the touring squad in Cape Town look like a full Argentina Test team.
The touring party under coach Raul Perez have much Test experience and contain almost all of Argentina’s World Cup stars.
Pumas captain Agustin Creevy is a member of the party, as are some of the Pumas’ stellar players such as fullback Jaoquin Tuculet and flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez, the leading points scorer at last year’s World Cup.
The experienced centre Juan Martin Hernandez (53 Test caps), loose-forward Juan Manuel Leguizamon (62) and scrumhalf Martin Landajo (53) are also set to arrive today.
Perez, given his role as assistant coach with the Pumas at Test level, will have a good idea of his best XV, so these two warm-up matches will allow him to examine the depth of his squad.
"It is great challenge that lies ahead," said Perez. "The two friendlies against the Stormers and Lions will be a true test. We will be looking to give all 34 players a chance against the Stormers and Lions before our opening match against the Cheetahs."
As for the Stormers, it is a chance to gain a clearer picture of where they stand after easily brushing the University of Cape Town and SWD Eagles aside.
Fleck will look to name close to his best side for this encounter, although he will be without several key players.
Centres Damian de Allende and Jaco Taute are out injured and will both miss the opening few weeks of the campaign, while Juan de Jongh is unlikely to start after a heavy workload with the SA sevens team in the past six weeks.
The Pumas will test the Stormers’ scrum, while the breakdown battle will be intense, with Puma star Pablo Matera likely to be a nuisance.
The Stormers are less settled, outside of obvious first-choice candidates such as locks Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit, flank Schalk Burger and tighthead Frans Malherbe.