Six players have been released from the Jaguares squad ahead of their warm-up match against the Lions at Wits on Friday.

They include flankers Juan Manuel Leguizamón and Tomás Lezana, prop Cristian Bartoloni, hookers Ignacio Larrague and Santiago Iglesias Valdez, centre Gabriel Ascárate and fullback Tomás Carrió.

The squad has therefore been reduced to just 27 players following the Jaguares' 29-14 loss to the Stormers last weekend.

However, captain Agustín Creevy is confident his side can improve on that performance.

‘We will be in better shape [against the Lions] on Friday,’ Creevy said. ‘This week we should be able to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. Our performance against the Stormers was not what we wanted.

‘There were some good things, but I'm a little critical and I would like us to do better. It was the first game of the year, but it's no excuse. We need to continue to improve a lot.’

Jaguares squad – Joaquín Tuculet, Matías Orlando, Matías Moroni, Jerónimo De La Fuente, Santiago Cordero, Nicolás Sánchez, Martín Landajo, Facundo Isa, Tomas Lavanini, Matías Alemanno, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Agustín Creevy (c), Santiago García Botta, Julian Montoya, Lucas Noguera Paz, Felipe Arregui, Felipe Ezcurra, Santiago González Iglesias, Rodrigo Baez, Emiliano Boffelli, Gonzalo Bertranou, Javier Ortega Desio, Leonardo Senatore, Pablo Matera, Guido Petti, Ramiro Herrera, Joaquín Paz.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images