Super Rugby semifinal: Brumbies bow out as impressive Jaguares run wild in Buenos Aires

Australia was supposed to be on the verge of a glorious new era after our 2015 World Cup final appearance but the Brumbies Super Rugby semifinal loss is more proof of how far behind the best we are.

It was a tough night at the office for David Pocock and the Brumbies.

Australia is in the midst of its longest stretch without representation in a grand final since Super Rugby began in 1996.

An entire World Cup cycle has passed without an Australian team making the decider, after the Brumbies suffered their heaviest playoff defeat in history against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires in Saturday’s semi-final.

The 39-7 loss means the last Australian team in a grand final was the title-winning Waratahs in 2014, five years ago. Previously, the longest run between grand finals had been three years.

Australian rugby is suffering on all fronts, and with the first Test of the year just three weeks away in Johannesburg against South Africa, little inspires confidence the Wallabies can turn around their terrible form of 2018 and mount a successful World Cup campaign.

It was a tough night at the office for David Pocock and the Brumbies.

Big-name players needed to step up in an extraordinary way this season, but just a handful showed consistent excellence.

Samu Kerevi, Isi Naisarani, Folau Fainga’a and Rory Arnold are chief among them, yet the latter two were shown up against the Jaguares.

The Brumbies, who were on a seven-match winning streak heading into the semi-final, left their worst until the last. This was their biggest loss of 2019.

Their tight-five, consisting of Fainga’a, Arnold, props Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa and lock Sam Carter, had bossed opponents all year.

The Jaguares were simply unstoppable at home.

The Brumbies were simply no match for the impressive hosts.

But when faced with a Test-strength pack in Argentina, they folded meekly.

This is a major concern.

The Brumbies’ physicality and lineout precision had inspired hope this could translate to similar success for the Wallabies using these players.

But they were ruthlessly exposed by the Jaguares, who forced five lineout turnovers in the first half alone and bullied the Brumbies’ forwards throughout.

Whether this performance was an anomaly in an otherwise stellar season, or whether the Brumbies players marked for Wallabies selection cannot cope with Test-match like pressure, is a call now left to Australian coach Michael Cheika and fellow selectors Scott Johnson and Michael O’Connor.

The back-up is to revert to underperforming Waratahs and Rebels players who’ve had mortgages in the national side yet failed to deliver results for years.

Tevita Kuridrani is cut down by the Jaguares defence.

Cheika is banking on some miraculous quick turnaround formula, believing he can replicate Australia’s unexpected charge to the last World Cup final when few gave him hope.

To do so, he must extract every last ounce of talent and dedication from those in his squad, while also hoping higher-ranked teams choke, because this squad cannot win on talent alone.

In a season where Cheika’s rest policy came under significant spotlight, the strategy alarmingly exposed how wide the depth is between regular starters and those who wish to fill their boots.

The Waratahs, in particular, were caught short every time they needed to sideline big guns. Their attack was woeful in 2019.

The Rebels should have capitalised on their Wallaby-laden roster and fast start, but fell away as finals pressure built, leaving the Brumbies to carry the can as Australia’s sole representative in the playoffs.

The weak Reds finished second-last and are losing their best player, Kerevi, to Japan’s Top League next season.

The Wallabies squad gathers in camp in Brisbane on Sunday, with those chosen from the Brumbies to meet them after a few days rest.

They’ll have five Tests before the World Cup to find the confidence and belief that eluded them through last year’s international season, and this year’s less than Super campaign.

FINAL SCORE

Buenos Aires Jaguares (ARG) 39 def. ACT Brumbies (AUS) 7 HT: 20-7

Jaguares: Tries - Tomas Cubelli, Tomas Lavanini, Matias Orlando (2), Emiliano Boffelli; conversions - Joaquin Diaz Bonilla (4); penalties - Bonilla (2)

Brumbies: Try - Folau Fainga’a; conversion - Christian Lealiifano

Originally published as Super Rugby semifinal: Brumbies bow out as impressive Jaguares run wild in Buenos Aires