By Joe Santamaria
The final round of the regular season began with a thrilling repeat of last year’s final between Dogos and Peñarol in Cordoba.
The Argentine hosts began the game strongly, with winger Lautaro Cipriani showing footballing skills that would make some of his compatriots proud as he dribbled the ball along the floor before gathering to open the scoring.
Fullback Mateo Soler soon got in on the action, showing great power to ride through the tackles on his way to the try line. Dogos soon added a third try after a flowing set piece move to take an ominous 19-0 lead after just fifteen minutes. Peñarol finally managed to settle into the game and grabbed a deserved try of their own off the back of a powerful maul minutes before halftime.
The Uruguayan visitors began the second half in the same abrasive manner, powering over from another attacking maul to reduce the deficit. It was a problem that Dogos simply couldn’t deal with and it came back to haunt them yet again with 15 minutes to play as Peñarol levelled the game with their third try.
The Dogos players looked shellshocked when Lucas Bianchi reacted fastest to a loose ball to grab Peñarol’s fourth try as they looked in real danger of losing a game they thought was theirs. Only a dominant display of scrummaging saved their blushes as the referee awarded a penalty try with the clock in the red to close out an enthralling 26-26 draw. Both sides now face tough semifinal matches but will know there is every chance they will meet again in a couple of weeks time.
Table-topping Pampas heavily rotated their squad for their game against bottom-placed Cobras but still ran out comfortable winners in a game that saw over 100 points scored. Both teams threw caution to the wind from the off and the visiting Brazilian side were competitive early, thanks in part to a brilliant performance from fly half João Amaral. Pampas centre Justo Piccardo grabbed the best try of a back-and-forth opening 40 minutes as he charged through the Cobras defence from 30 metres out.
Despite trailing by just nine points at the break, Cobras’ resistance gave out in the second half as the effects of a gruelling campaign caught up with them. The hosts began to score at will and brutally exposed their tiring opposition with scrum half Simon Benitez Cruz helping himself to a hat-trick. The neutrals certainly enjoyed the loose and open nature of the game, which ended 70-38. Pampas’ attention will now turn to their home semifinal next week as the Cobras players head off the lick their wounds.
The round ended with a game between two sides already about of playoff contention as Selknam hosted American Raptors in Santiago. The first half was extremely cagey with both teams desperate to end disappointing campaigns on a high. The visitors settled into the game better and were able to take a slender 6-0 lead in at the break against an uncharacteristically flat Selknam side.
Whatever head coach Jake Mangin said at the break had the desired effect as the Chilean side roared into life in the second half, led by their talismanic hooker Diego Escobar, who burst through the opposition ranks to score early. Another Selknan try was cancelled out by further penalties from their opponents and the game remained tight to the end. With the match crying out for a moment of quality, Selknam fly half Nicolas Roger threw a superb dummy and cantered in under the posts for a sensational try. A late American Raptors try sparked brief hopes of a comeback but Selknam held firm to secure a 24-19 victory in front of their supporters.
All eyes will now turn to Argentina for the semifinals on June 7th. All conquering pampas will host defending champions Peñarol in Buenos Aires while Dogos will welcome Paraguay’s finest, Yacare, to Cordoba to determine this year’s finalists.
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