By Joe Santamaria
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Dogos 22-8 Pampas
Dogos put on their best performance of the season in a 22-8 victory over hosts Pampas that will strike fear into the rest of the competition.
Dogos began the match, a repeat of last year’s final, by gradually building a lead through the boot of Juan Bautista Baronio, who punished every Pampas indiscretion.
The hosts had plenty of possession but were constantly forced into handling errors by the visitors’ ferocious defence. As the half drew on, the crowd and the Pampas players became increasingly frustrated, all of which played into Dogos’ hands.
Pampas started the second half with a renewed sense of purpose and soon found the try line through Federico Lavanini but were unable to add the conversion.
It looked as though the tide may be turning in the hosts’ favour but a fourth Baronio penalty gave Dogos some breathing room.
Having missed two kicks earlier in the game, Pampas fly half Renthel Estanislao narrowed the deficit to four points heading into the final quarter, with the hosts still believing they had the tools to open up the stubborn Dogos defence.
As Pampas chased the try that would have given them the lead, Estanislao threw a loose pass that was snatched by Dogos center Leonardo Gea Salim who in turn put teammate Lautaro Cipriani away to score in the corner.
With the odds now stacked against them, Pampas grew even more desperate and came close to breaking through with several impressive carries but the final pass continued to elude them.
A final Baronio penalty crowned a superb individual display and put the final nail in the coffin for the hosts.
After a lacklustre start to the season, this was a Dogos performance that puts them back in the frame for the title this year, whereas Pampas are left to rue yet another defeat to their closest rivals.
Selknam vs Cobras
Selknam didn’t have it all their own way but managed to secure a bonus point win over Cobras.
A sumptuous catch and pass from fullback Tomás Salas put Nicolás Saab in for the game’s first try after just a few minutes.
Cobras struck back through powerful center Robert Tenário, who capitalised on a fortuitous bounce after a clever kick in behind.
Selknam’s dominance up front soon began to tell when hooker Salvador Lues forced his way over from the back of a driving maul to reclaim the lead.
Cobras scrum half Felipe Gonçalves managed to strike back for the visitors after throwing a superb dummy on his way to the tryline.
Head coach Emiliano Caffera will be furious at his forward pack for reacting too slowly to a loose ball, allowing Raimundo Martínez to grab a score just before halftime that meant Cobras went in behind on the scoreboard.
Selkanm started the second half as they had ended the first and quickly secured the bonus point try through tighthead Nahuel Debiassi. Tireless No.8 Joaquín Milesi added a fifth try soon after to extend his side’s lead to 13 points.
The visitors’ chances of a comeback were dented when Gabriel Henrique Souza Oliveira was sent off for a dangerous tackle with a little over 15 minutes to play.
It looked as though the sting had gone out of the game before it exploded into life again with three late tries, the first of which was scored by Selknam replacement, Augusto Bohme.
Cobras played their part in the frantic ending when the impressive Tenário grabbed his second try after brilliantly stepping off his right foot and burrowing his way to the line while holding off two defenders.
With the clock in the red, there was still time for the try of the game as Selknam fly half Juan Cruz Reyes’s brilliant delayed pass split the defence and allowed his halfback partner Marcelo Torrealba to put the icing on the cake for the hosts.
Yacare 36-8 Peñarol
Yacare stunned the competition with one of the best performances in their history by toppling in-form Peñarol 36-8 in Asunción.
Peñarol took the lead with an early penalty before Yacare backrower Santiago Ruiz powered over for the game’s first try.
The Uruguayan visitors quickly struck back through winger Bautista Domingo Basso Martinez who finished off a neat set piece attack.
However, it proved to be nothing more than a brief reprieve from the relentless Yacare attack.
Yacare fly half Joaquin Lamas, making his return from suspension, brilliantly orchestrated the backline and soon set up his team’s second try.
The Paraguayan side managed to add a third before the break through hooker Axel Taiel Zapata, whose barrelling run from 20 metres out thrilled the crowd and his teammates alike.
For the opening 15 minutes of the second half, the game was still in the balance but Yacare always looked the more likely of making the breakthrough and so it proved.
A wonderful looping pass from Lamas allowed Juan Daniel González to score in the corner and put the result beyond doubt.
Yacare’s dominant scrum yielded a penalty try and Lamas knocked over a late penalty to put even more gloss on the result.
The result means Yacare remain in the hunt for the semifinals while Peñarol missed the chance to go to he top of the table.
The game could well have ramifications beyond Super Rugby Americas. In July and August, Uruguay and Paraguay go head to head over two legs in their search for qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
With 13 Paraguayans contributing to this famous win, the expectation that Uruguay will win those games comfortably suddenly looks far less certain than it did just days ago.
Round Nine sees Pampas welcome Tarucas to Buenos Aires for a second consecutive all-Argentine clash before winless Cobras face a reinvigorated Dogos in São Paulo.
The weekend closes out with an intriguing clash between Selknam and Peñarol in Santiago, with both sides knowing a loss could leave them facing an uphill battle for a home semifinal.
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