The Argentinian Rugby Union has confirmed the Jaguares’ 2020 season is over, its 2021 participation in Vodacom Super Rugby in doubt and that team coach Gonzalo Quesada has vacated his position.

The UAR officially announced on Friday that the Jaguares will not compete again this year, and that the franchise’s involvement in next year’s Super Rugby is not a given as it is exploring several possible avenues for the team in 2021.

‘The priority is to work to have the best possible international competition. The Jaguares will continue to exist, but we have to see under what circumstances. During 2020 they will not compete again, we believe that this is irreversible,’ said UAR president Marcelo Rodríguez.

He explained that the uncertainty surrounding the Jaguares’ future Super Rugby involvement is not due to a breakdown in the relationship with Sanzaar, but rather just the current financial climate of the game amid the coronavirus pandemic.

‘We had been working with Sanzaar in the renewal of contracts, until Covid-19 appeared. Now everything is on standby. Possibly 2021 will be taken as the year of transition, and then the cycles will be negotiated and changed again. There is no breakdown in our relationship with Sanzaar and for now we continue to work with them. The relationship is intact.’

Meanwhile, Quesada’s has resigned as Jaguares head coach and will move to France where he will take up the same position with Stade Français.

Centres Bautista Ezcurra and Lucas Mensa have also opted to further their careers elsewhere, with Ezcurra signing for Major League Rugby team Rugby ATL in America and Mensa joining French Pro D2 side Valence Romans.

The national contract of the vast majority of Jaguares and Argentina players are set to expire soon and the UAR has already encouraged them to seek employment elsewhere.

The players in question are: Matías Alemanno, Ignacio Calas, Francisco Gorrissen, Santiago Chocobares, Jerónimo de la Fuente, Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, Matías Moroni, Matías Orlando, Agustín Creevy, Marcos Kremer, Tomás Lezana, Julián Montoya, Guido Petti, Joel Sclavi, Santiago Socino, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Gonzalo Bertranou, Emiliano Boffelli, Sebastián Cancelliere, Tomás Cubelli, Bautista Delguy, Felipe Ezcurra, Juan Cruz Mallía and Joaquín Tuculet.

Photo: Gallo Images