Venezuela Down Peru in Lima

Venezuela Downed Peru in Lima this evening, winning 33-21. The fixture was a second round match in the 2017 South American B Championship. Venezuela won by controlling the lead throughout, converting a 19-07 half time lead into a 12 point victory.

With the competition being replaced by the Sudamérica 4 Naciones B in 2018 it was a final hit-out under the long-standing format. Venezuela’s win means next Saturday’s fixture will crown the year’s champion.

For Peru the match was the second of two fixtures in the competition. Coming off a heavy defeat against Colombia it was Los Tumis’ opportunity at winning a match. Venezuela prepared by facing the Barbarians +30, winning 32-18.

Venezuela opened scoring in Lima smartly. An early try from scrum-half, Daniel Durand gave the visitors the perfect start. Los Tumis hit-back through winger Daniel Lecca to make it 7-7.

From there the Venezuelans went on to dominate until the final quarter. Tries from Eduardo Hernández in the 22nd and 38th minutes complete the scoring for the opening half.

In the second half scored first, doing so through Renato Concha. But with two Venezuelan tries following, the home side found itself 33-14 down. With time running out Peru had time to score a third try. Romulo Rocha. crossed to narrow the margin to 12 points as Chilean referee Francisco Saavedra blew for full-time.

Colombia host Venezuela next weekend in the third and final fixture of the 2017 South American B Championship. Missing this year is Ecuador, the western South American republic was suspended from competing.

The rebranded competition in 2018 will see Peru and Colombia joined by Costa Rica and Guatemala. Colombia will be involved in the Sudamérica 6 Naciones A, a competition also involving Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and the Argentina XV.

Victory over Peru has Venezuela placed favorably for the new competition. The team coached by Mario Urdaneta and Harry Ramos are currently ranked 13th in the Americas. Peru are in 17th spot while Guatemala and Costa Rica are presently 19th and 22nd respectively.

SCORING

PERU
Tries: Lecca, Concha, Rocha
Conversiones: Deustua (2), Aysanoa
Yellow Card: Monier

VENEZUELA
Tries: Duran, Hernandez, Arrieta, Marin, Reañez
Conversions: Schaefer (4)
Yellow Card: Zabala

PERU
1 Joshua Carnero, 2 Luis Tejeda (Capt.), 3 Giorgio Crolle, 4 Luis Aita, 5 Ricardo Cardenas, 6 Jonathan Bauza, 7 Diego Diaz, 8 Diego Medina, 9 Sebastian Del Mastro, 10 Isaias Aysanoa, 11 Renato Lecca, 12 Renato Concha, 13 Luis Monier, 14 Lucas Barrio de Mendoza, 15 Francisco Deustua

Replacements: Gustavo Escanes, Rodrigo Ramírez, Nicholas Priday, Joaquín Tello, Felipe Rios, Pablo Urquieta, Romulo Rocha

Head Coach: Pablo Vila

VENEZUELA
1 Lisandro Espinoza, 2 Eduardo Hernández, 3 Robert Torres, 4 Juan Lopez, 5 Luis Lopez, 6 José Gutierrez (Capt.), 7 Carlos Cañizales, 8 Pedro Reañez, 9 Daniel Duran, 10 Roberto Schaefer, 11 Edwin Marin, 12 Luis Romero, 13 Wilkinson Arrieta, 14 Kelving Cordero, 15 José Rojas

Replacements: Xavier Pirela, Ali Ayoub, Luis Zabala, Luis Martinez, Jesus Cañizalez, Miguel Salcedo

Unused Replacements: Rannel Barrios, Alberto Araujo

Head Coach: Mario Urdaneta