Late try sees Selknam overcome Olímpia Lions challenge

A late try saw Selknam overcoming the Olímpia Lions. The Chilean Súper Liga Americana de Rugby franchise did not have it easy against the Paraguayan franchise. Selknam were 29-16 winners.

The Olímpia Lions started the match as the better side. The battle of the forwards saw back-and-forth with the Olímpia Lions coming out well in the opening quarter. Máximo Ledesma landed two penalties to give the Olímpia Lions a 6-0 lead.

The Olímpia Lions were searching for tries. Selknam’s defense ultimately held firm. When the Chileans finally had an attack they made use of the opportunity. An attacking maul saw Augusto Böhme going over. The Selknam hooker touched down for a 27th minute try. Patricio Boronio converted to give Selknam the lead.

Minutes after scoring his try, the Selknam hooker was yellow carded. He was quickly followed by Olímpia Lions prop Lucas Favre. Such was the intensity that forwards were overcommitting and penalties led to yellow cards. Baronio made it 10-6 in the 40th minute. His penalty was a sign of what was to follow in the second half.

It took 17 minutes before a point was scored in the second half. The first points of thr half came in the form of a try. Replacement hooker Tomás Dussaillant scored from a maul. The conversion was wide which meant Selknam held a 15-6 lead.

The ferocious nature of the contest meant that both sides continued to be penalized. Selknam was again down to 14 men in the 51st minute. Ledesma turned the penalty into three points.

Boronio restored Selknam’s advantage four minutes later. It was followed by another in the 69th minute. It gave Selknam comfort, though the Olímpia Lions would not cave in.

The Olímpia Lions pounded away at the Selknam try line. After waves of attack space appeared for Joaquín Pellandini to dive over. The replacement scrum-half’s try was converted. It meant that with eight minutes remaining the teams were separated by eight points.

Selknam found a way over the try line at the death. Argentine Maximilano Filizzola scored in the left corner. The conversion attempt was wide. The end result was four SLAR points to Selknam.

Both teams now turn their attention to Thursday. In round three Selknam take on Los Jaguares XV and the Olímpia Lions face Os Cobras Brasil XV.

SCORING

SELKNAM (29)
Try: Böhme 27′, Dussaillant 57′, Filizzola 80′
Conversion: Boronio 28′
Penalty: Boronio 3 – 40′ 55′, 63′, Albornoz 69′
Yellow Card: Böhme 35′, Carrasco 51′

OLÍMPIA LIONS (16)
Try: Inchauspe 72′
Conversion: Ledesma 72′
Penalty: Ledesma 3 – 9′, 22′, 51′
Yellow Card: Favre 37′

TEAMS

SELKNAM
1 Iñaki Gurruchaga, 2 Augusto Böhme, 3 Matías Dittus, 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Javier Eissmann, 6 Martín Sigren, 7 Ignacio Silva (capt.), 8 Alfonso Escobar, 9 Patricio Boronio, 10 Ignacio Albornoz, 11 Julio Blanc, 12 José Larenas, 13 Domingo Saavedra, 14 Maximilano Filizzola, 15 Rodrigo Fernández

Replacements: 16 Tomás Dussaillant, 17 Javier Carrasco, 18 Salvador Lues, 19 Clemente Saavedra, 20 Nicolás Garafulic, 21 Bautista Stavile, 22 Lukas Carvallo, 23 Matías Garafulic

OLÍMPIA LIONS
1 Javier Díaz, 2 Axel Zapata, 3 Lucas Favre, 4 Carlos Repetto, 5 Mauro Rebussone, 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara, 7 Lucas Santa Cruz, 8 Ignacio Gandini, 9 Ignacio Inchauspe, 1o Máximo Ledesma, 11 Juan González, 12 Sebastián Urbieta, 13 Francisco Diez, 14 Leopoldo Herrera, 15 Martín Bogado

Replacements: 16 Mariano Muntaner, 17 Rodrigo Martínez, 18 Luis Enrique Quinteros, 19 Mariano Garcete, 20 Martín Gómez Vara, 21 Joaquín Pellandini, 22 Franco Bullentini, 23 Diego Argaña