Despite his Crusaders allegiances, All Blacks coach Steven Hansen has his own reasons for hoping the Jaguares can topple the two-time defending champions in Saturday's Super Rugby final.
That upset result may benefit the All Blacks in two weeks.
The Jaguares starting line-up to face the Crusaders has 11 players who played in Argentina's last rugby test against Scotland, with an imposing 617 test caps spread across the XV.
- Jaguares add 100 more test caps to starting line-up for final
- Braydon Ennor, Mitchell Dunshea promoted to Crusaders starting line-up
If they were to defy the odds, they'd claim their first Super Rugby title in only their fourth season and hand the southerners a historic first playoff defeat in Christchurch.
The All Blacks face Argentina in their opening match of the Rugby Championship in Buenos Aires on July 21.
Hansen won't field his Crusaders players for that fixture, giving them a chance to catch their breath, before embarking on the international campaign.
On the other hand, the Pumas won't have that luxury, and Hansen hopes, if the Jaguares win, they celebrate in style, leaving them slightly dusty for the test in two weeks.
"If they do win [the Super Rugby final], I hope they celebrate it long and hard, because 39 of their squad are in the [national] group that's been named and a few headaches will be good for a couple of weeks," exaggerated Hansen, with a cheeky grin.
"They're worthy finalists, they're not just there by chance. The two best teams in Super Rugby are playing in the final."
Hansen's comments were understandable from an All Blacks perceptive, but surprising, considering he was the Crusaders assistant coach from 1999-2001, and his Canterbury affiliation as a player and coach.
The 60-year-old has been impressed with how much Argentina rugby has grown since the national team joined the Rugby Championship in 2012, but feels the Jaguares have also helped lift their game to a new level, since competing in Super Rugby.
"They're using their whole team. They've always had big bruising forwards, but their backs have scored some sensational tries.
"They really opened the Brumbies up [in the semi-final] and every opportunity they had off turnover ball, they punished.
"The biggest weapon they've gained is confidence - they've got a belief. You can achieve anything in life… 90 percent of it is believing you can actually do it.
"They're going down there believing 100 percent they can beat the Crusaders, so that will make them dangerous."
Even though Hansen wants to start the Rugby Championship with a bang against the Pumas, he admits winning the title is the last thing on his list of priorities for 2019.
"Do we want to win it? Yeah, but if don't win it, we won't leave any sleep over that.
"We want to win the Bledisloe Cup for sure and we want to win the World Cup.
"So, along the way, we have to make some sacrifices to do that and we may take some risks, but hopefully, we get some rewards from taking those risks."
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