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Another week, another first in the Americas Rugby Championship as the USA travels to São Paulo where they take on Brazil at the Arena Barueri in the first ever test meeting between the two nations. Os Tupis will be looking to lift their performance at home after suffering a sizable defeat against Canada, though to their credit they did manage to score 25 points. The Eagles, meanwhile, are now in pole position to claim the title outright and are dead set on continuing their three game unbeaten streak.
Stefano Ambrosio has made seven changes to the team that lost in Langford. The entire front row has been swapped, with Wilton Rebolo, Yan Rosetti, and Lucas Abud picked to start after the trio were summoned in force to salvage the scrum against Canada. João Luiz da Ros is recalled to captain the side from the flank, with Desterro teammate André Arruda handed his first taste of ARC rugby.
A surprise change brothers Lucas and Moisés Duque paired at the halfbacks, having played in the 10 and 12 shirts respectively on Saturday, with Martin Schaefer called in to fill the new midfield vacancy. Laurent Bourda-Couhet replaces Lucas Muller on the left wing in the only change to the outside backs. Diego López, Gabriel Paganini, and youngster Robert Tenório could see their first ARC action from the bench.
The USA has made wholesale changes to the team that triumphed over Chile. Olive Kilifi replaces injured Chris Baumann at tighthead prop and has been handed the captaincy for the first time in the absence of departed Todd Clever. Demecus Beach makes his first test start at loosehead after a brief cameo as a substitute in Florida. Two new caps enter on the flanks, with new call-ups James King and Aladdin Schirmer both handed starts in their test debuts.
Injury has ruled out Tom Bliss from Saturday’s game so Niku Kruger takes over at scrumhalf, with James Bird recalled at flyhalf. Veteran Andrew Suniula forms a new-look centre combo with Mike Garrity, and Ryan Matyas starts on the left wing with Kingsley McGowan on the right. Jake Anderson tags in for Mike Te’o at fullback.
The bench has an interesting look to it, with two hookers in Mike Sosene-Feagai and uncapped Cameron Falcon, while Junior All-American captain Hanco Germishuys is set to make his test bow as an impact sub. Only four forwards are named, though one wonders if Te’o could cover loose forward in an emergency given his previous experience as a hooker with the national u20 side.
The match kicks off at 8pm local time, 6pm EST and will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
BRAZIL
1 Wilton Rebolo 2 Yan Rosetti 3 Lucas Abud 4 Lucas Piero 5 Luiz Vieira 6 André Arruda 7 João Luiz das Ros (capt.) 8 Nick Smith 9 Lucas Duque 10 Moisés Duque 11 Laurent Bourda-Couhet 12 Martin Schaefer 13 Felipe Sancery 14 Stefano Giantorno 15 Daniel Sancery
16 Daniel Danielewicz 17 Caique Silva 18 Jonatas Paulo 19 Diego López 20 Gabriel Paganini 21 Guilherme Coghetto 22 Beukes Cremer 23 Robert Tenório
USA
1 Demecus Beach 2 Joseph Taufete’e 3 Olive Kilifi (capt.) 4 Brodie Orth 5 Ben Landry 6 James King 7 Aladdin Schirmer 8 David Tameilau 9 Niku Kruger 10 James Bird 11 Ryan Matyas 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Mike Garrity 14 Kingsley McGowan 15 Jake Anderson
16 Cameron Falcon 17 Eric Fry 18 Mike Sosene-Feagai 19 Hanco Germishuys 20 Mike Te’o 21 JP Eloff 22 Tim Stanfill 23 Chad London
Referee: Chris Assmus (RC)
Assistants: Henrique Platais (CBRu) & Ricardo Sant’Anna (CBRu)
