Joe Santamaria
Round 10 of the Super Rugby Americas season began with Selknam’s resounding 43-15 win over the Cobras, putting the Chilean side in a strong position to advance to the playoffs.
The visitors applied early pressure and should have taken advantage of Selknam’s poor early discipline. But the hosts survived and scored the first try of the game when full-back Luca Strabucchi finished off a move that started deep in their own half. Selknam took his lead and quickly scored his second after some sharp footwork from flyhalf Tomás Salas unlocked the Cobras defense. Powerful winger Nicolás Garafulic latched onto the loose ball and raced in for Selknam’s third try before the break.
The second half continued in the same vein with Garafulic securing a bonus point with 30 minutes remaining. The Cobras continued to fight back and were finally rewarded when Henrique Ribeiro Ferreira dove in from close range. The game opened in the final quarter with both sides adding extra points, including a superb effort from Selknam winger Iñaki Delguy. Selknam’s win sees the Chilean side retain control of their own destiny as they appear to find form at the perfect time.
Paraguay suffered the biggest shock this season. Yacare tabletop condemned dogos They suffered their first loss of the season in a bruising encounter. The Dogos started strong and a series of dominant scrums resulted in a penalty try being awarded after eight minutes. Yacare hit back with a penalty try after Dogos captain Franco Molina was illegally brought down. Joaquin Lamas’ penalty gave Yacare a 10-7 lead at halftime.
Lamas’ kick remained perfect as the fly-half added a further penalty either side of a brilliant effort from Dogos hooker Thomas Bartolini. Bartolini showed great strength as he blocked several defenders on his way to the line. Dogos flyhalf Julián Ignacio Hernández scored the best try of the game as he pierced Yacare’s defense to restore his side’s lead. Lamas soon leveled the game with another penalty. With the game on a knife-edge, Lamas stepped up to secure a famous 22-19 win with a memorable penalty kick.
The weekend finals were in sight. american raptors Looking for your celebrity. Penarol, they knew they needed a win to keep their hopes of defending their title alive. The hosts started brightly as Rufus McLean collected a clever kick in behind to open the scoring after two minutes. Flyhalf Ignacio Mieres increased his team’s lead to 10-0 with a penalty kick, while Peñarol hooker Francisco Garcia capitalized on a powerful driving maul to get his team on the scoreboard.
The visitors began to take the lead in the second half as powerful number 8 Carlos Manuel Deus pushed in from close range. With the game still tight, American Raptors tighthead Facundo Ignacio Pomponio was sent off and Peñarol quickly took the advantage when fullback Ignacio Alvarez dotted the corner unopposed. The Uruguayan team secured a bonus point before the Raptors hit back with a superb consolation from Mieres after a stunning break from replacement scrum-half John Lefevre. The Colorado side would be right to view the 24-17 loss as a missed opportunity while the visitors maintained their chances of making the playoffs.
Round Eleven will see Peñarol host Selknam in a game that could have huge implications for the playoffs, while the Cobras will play their first home game for a month when they host Yacare in Sao Paulo. Finally, the Dogos will host fellow Argentines. pampas There was a mouth-watering table clash to round out the weekend’s action.
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