The Stormers happily accepted four Super Rugby log points for beating the Jaguares – or more accurately the Jaguares beating themselves – at Newlands on Saturday and can move on with more confidence in 2017.

The Jaguares had taken control of the match midway through the second half before two yellow cards in the space of three minutes cost them a chance of victory.

Trailing 20-18‚ flank Pablo Matera and wing Matias Moroni were carded for pulling down a maul and a deliberate knock-on in the red zone respectively.

The Stormers added a penalty try and a try from fullback SP Marais while the visitors were down to 13-men to take the spoils 32-25.

Had the Argentines kept a full compliment of players on the field‚ the result would almost certainly have been different.

As it now stands the Stormers top the Africa 1 standings with eight points after week one’s win against the Bulls‚ and are second on the overall South African Group standings‚ one point behind the Lions.

Monday’s review session will have to be honest because for 50 minutes the Stormers were second best.

Their attack failed to come to grips with the Jaguares’ line speed and their defence didn’t cope well with the Argentines attacks through the middle in the second half.

“It was a very good test for us of what is coming our way‚” Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said in reference to New Zealand teams‚ which the Stormers face later in the competition.

“Credit to the Jaguares‚ they put us under a lot of pressure‚ their line speed was very effective in taking out our attack.

“In the second half their physicality and tempo increased. The way they took us on through the middle was pretty effective.

“There was some good rugby from our side and they had us under the pump so we had to hang in there.

“They were good‚ they put us under pressure defensively and on attack in the second half they took it up through the guts of the field asking lots of questions of us and we had to adapt.”

But despite the problems that arose in the match‚ Fleck was not despondent because not only was the result positive‚ but he felt the experience would also benefit his team in the long run.

“I am looking forward to Monday‚ it is going to be a great review for us and we can learn a helluva lot from this game‚” Fleck said.

“We weren’t happy with our physicality in this game which is something that we have to work on going forward.

“But it was a very good test for us to see where we are and in the past maybe we would have let this game slip. We didn’t and we fought hard towards the end.” - TMG Digital