#360Rugby: Kvesic mind games, Jaguares causing a stir

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  • #360Rugby: Matt Kvesic, the Jaguares and rugby league in Dubai.

    In this week’s installment of #360Rugby, Andrew Binner and Matt Jones take in the growing stature of Matt Kvesic, the fearsome Super Rugby Jaguares and why rugby league may be coming to Dubai.

    Share your thoughts by Tweeting @Sport360 using #360Fans.


    SCHMIDT MUST BREED JACKSON AS SEXTON’S SUCCESSOR

    It is inconceivable that Joe Schmidt won’t give young Ulster fly-half Paddy Jackson a chance a significant chunk of game time at fly-half in Ireland’s final two Six Nations matches.

    In Italy and Scotland, the Kiwi coach has the perfect opportunity to look at life beyond Jonny Sexton and, as Ireland’s form fly-half in the Guinness PRO12 competition, Jackson must now be given his chance.

    While many Ireland fans will point out that the red-headed playmaker’s better performances are undermined by sporadic moments of implosion (think Ulster’s 2011 Heineken Cup final thrashing at the hands of Sexton and Ireland’s Murrayfield meltdown in 2013), he has come back a better player each time.

    Every world-beating fly-half has had to deal with similar setbacks in their rise to the top and it is these experiences that have added an extra dimension to Jackson: his leadership quality.

    Andrew Trimble this week admitted that Jackson was Ulster’s most important player and it is now time that Schmidt demonstrated the same confidence.

    KVESIC GLOUCESTER DISPLAY PROVES HE IS ENGLAND’S BEST SEVEN

    Eddie Jones is a wily operator and has a habit of using mind games to get the best from his players and under the skin of the opposition.

    It comes as no surprise then that, after claiming that England need a ball-snatching No. 7, the coach subsequently sends the only man that fits this description (with aplomb) back on club duty instead of letting him loose in an England shirt.

    Kvesic has missed out again this weekend having submitted another man-of-the-match display as Gloucester upset Europe’s form side Wasps, in exactly the same way that Maro Itoje was disregarded in the opening week of the tournament.

    Jones is within touching distance of a Six Nations Grand Slam in his debut season at the helm, and this may have played a part in his decision not to let German-born Kvesic oust Haskell just yet.

    But make no mistake about it, Kvesic is still the man Jones will look to take England forward in 2016.

    JAGUARES CONTINUE ARGENTINE RUGBY’S UPWARD TREND

    The Jaguares could not have been assigned a tougher start to life in Super Rugby with a two-match away tour in South Africa against the Cheetahs and the Sharks.

    However a return of seven points (a win and a bonus-point loss respectively) is a clear statement of intent that the Argentines will be no pushover in 2016.

    In Nicolas Sanchez, the Rugby World Cup top points scorer, Martin Landajo and Santiago Cordero the South American’s enjoy plenty of firepower and look to run and entertain at any given opportunity.

    Full-back Cordero in particular caused the Sharks numerous problems with 12 carries and a try to cap a memorable afternoon.

    The Jaguares are by no means the finished product just yet, but if they can iron out their indiscipline (two yellow cards cost them the second match) and implement a more mature kicking strategy, then they will be challenging for the playoffs come the end of the season.

    WEST ASIA CHAMPIONSHIP NOW BEYOND ABU DHABI HARLEQUINS

    Despite taking the West Asia Championship season to the final game, Abu Dhabi Harlequins fly-half Luke Stevenson believes his side have left it to late to win this season’s title.

    Stevenson was instrumental in Quins’ 32-24 victory in the top-of-the-table clash with Dubai Exiles, scoring 22 points with a flawless kicking display as Exiles lost for the first time in the cross-border competition.

    What makes the win all the more impressive is that Quins were missing some big names, including Matt Smith, Pieter Morton and Max Trimble, but Stevenson is pleased his side at least took the West Asia Championship to the final stage.

    “We’ll cross our fingers, but we came into the game knowing even if we won they (Exiles) would probably still win the league,” said Stevenson.

    With one more round to go the capital side could mathematically still take the title if Dubai Hurricanes do them a favour against Exiles.

    SYDNEY ROOSTERS COACH BACKS DUBAI FOR RUGBY LEAGUE EXPANSION

    Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson believes Dubai would be a perfect place to host a World Cup 9s competition and help rugby league grow.

    The NRL outfit enjoyed a pre-season training camp in the UAE before their World Club Series win over English side St Helens.

    While an expanded World Club Series, or the World Club Challenge showdown between the NRL and English Super League champions, has been mooted, Robinson says Dubai would benefit from a global 9s tournament.

    “We have to make sure our game is strong in the areas that it is in already, so we have to continue to develop that,” he said. “But then we also have an obligation to expand our game into new areas.”

    “We would definitely have a camp there again,” he added. “Great conditions, great facilities and it was a great stopover for us with the routes from Australia to England.”

    EXTRA TIME

    They say that rugby players are simply glorified Neanderthals with no rhythm… but clearly they haven’t seen the St Vincent and the Grenadines pre-game ritual! The team were in action against Caribbean neighbors Jamaica last weekend in a Rugby World Cup qualifier and while it’s perhaps not the scariest changing room scene ever, it may well be the most fun!

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