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Game two of the inaugural Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) will take place in central Argentina. Ceibos play host to the Olímpia Lions, a match which sees professional teams from Argentina and Paraguay battling it out for the first time.
Los Ceibos are coached by a former RWC Pumas player and captained by another. Lucas Mensa will lead the side from inside center, doing so in an attacking mid-field which also includes Tomás Cubilla. Both players are Ceibos following extensive game time for the Argentina XV.
Facundo Cordero and Martín Cancelliere are to play on the wings. Both players are the brothers of Pumas Santiago Cordero and Sebastián Cancelliere. Juan Bautista Daireaux joins them in starting in the back-three.
In the halves Gonzalo García and Martín Elías start together. It is a notable combination, though it does mean that Jaguares signing Tomás Albornoz is on the bench.
In the forwards another Jaguar, Juan Pablo Zeiss starts at tight head. He will pack down together with Federico Wegrzyn and José Luis González in the front row. Two names to have been close to Los Jaguares will lock the scrum in Franco Molina and Rodrigo Fernández Criado while Lautaro Bavaro, Santiago Ruiz, and Santiago Montagner are to be the back row trio.
Los Ceibos is entirely Argentine. In comparison, the Olímpia Lions have named a multinational lineup. It is literal in the meaning of the word. So much so, that there are no Paraguayans in the starting lineup.
The back-three will see a player from each of Argentina, Fiji and South Africa as Manuel Montero, Napolioni Nalaga and Grant Hermanus all start.
The center pairing is also to be foreigners with Argentine players Gabriel Ascárate and Santiago Resino starting. Ascárate is the team captain and will play opposite Mensa.
In the halves the Paraguayan side will also have an Argentine with Máximo Ledesma starting. He is to play outside Spanish scrum-half, Facundo Munilla.
The forward pack sees Namibia’s RWC 2019 flanker Max Katjijeko starting. He joins Argentine players Enzo Ocampo and Nicolás Proto in the back-row. The second-row is also a mix of Argentina and Africa, but this time it sees Federico Gutiérrez partnering South African Brandon Valentyn.
Up front the Olímpia Lions will have South African Liam Hendricks at loose head and Argentina’s Facundo Pomponio and Axel Zapata at tight head and hooker respectively.
The Olímpia Lions’ replacement bench will feature four Paraguayans. They are Enrique Quinteros, Ariel Núñez, Sebastián Urbieta and Renato Cardona. The remaining replacements are Argentina’s Juan Ávila and Facundo Maina, New Zealand’s Matt Matich, and Namibia’s Damian Stevens.
Los Ceibos are the favorites to win the match on Friday. Playing at home in Cordoba and having been together for a lengthily period are two reasons that point to a Ceibos triumph. Furthermore, the names are products of PladAR who have been monitored since their junior days by Argentina’s scouts and coaches.
The Olímpia Lions have a talented roster; one that will be competitive in SLAR. ARN, nonetheless believes that Ceibos are to win the match by a margin of 12 points.
CEIBOS
1 Federico Wegrzyn, 2 José Luis González, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Franco Molina, 5 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 6 Lautaro Bavaro, 7 Santiago Ruiz, 8 Santiago Montagner, 9 Gonzalo García, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Facundo Cordero, 12 Lucas Mensa (capt.), 13 Tomás Cubilla, 14 Martín Cancelliere, 15 Juan Bautista Daireaux
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oveido, 17 Rodrigo Martínez, 18 Francisco Minervino, 19 Santiago Portillo, 20 Conrado Roura, 21 Ignacio Inchauspe, 22 Tomás Albornoz, 23 Facundo Ferrario
OLÍMPIA LIONS
1 Liam Hendricks, 2 Axel Zapata, 3 Facundo Pomponio, 4 Federico Gutiérrez, 5 Brandon Valentyn, 6 Max Katjijeko, 7 Enzo Ocampo, 8 Nicolás Proto, 9 Facundo Munilla, 10 Máximo Ledesma, 11 Manuel Montero, 12 Gabriel Ascárate (capt.), 13 Santiago Resino, 14 Napolioni Nalaga, 15 Grant Hermanus
Replacements: 16 Juan Ávila, 17 Facundo Maina, 18 Enrique Quinteros, 19 Matt Matich, 20 Ariel Núñez, 21 Damian Stevens, 22 Sebastián Urbieta, 23 Renato Cardona
Date: Friday, March 6
Kick-off: 21:00 local (16:00 Pacific, 19:00 Eastern)
Venue: Tala Rugby Club, Córdoba
Referee: Felipe Balbontín (Chile)
Broadcasts: ESPN (Argentina, Paraguay), YouTube SLAR TV
