Olímpia Lions complete emphatic win over Cobras

The Oímpia Lions made history today. The Paraguayan professional rugby team won for the first time in the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). The Olímpia Lions not only won, the team completed an emphatic 44-8 win over Cobras Brasil XV.

In their best performance to date, the Olímpia Lions powered over for three early tries. The Paraguayan team rattled the Brazilian opposition. Early tries were scored by the Argentine trio of fullback Martín Bogado, No8 Ignacio Gandini, and flanker Lucas Santa Cruz. Paraguayan fly half Sebastián Urbieta converted twice to put the Olímpia Lions up 19-0 at the end of the opening quarter.

It was not only tries that were hurting Os Cobras; the scrums were also being dominated by the Olímpia Lions. Os Cobras retreated until they went to their bench. The early second half injection of Jardel Vettorato made a difference. The scrum was now steady.

Os Cobras managed one try in the match. It was scored after the 40 minute mark by André Arruda. Moisés Duque missed the conversion. He had earlier opened Os Cobras’ account with a penalty.

The second half was all about the Olímpia Lions. The Paraguayan team scored four tries to zero and Os Cobras received two yellow cards. Leopoldo Herrera followed his first half try assist to Lucas Santa Cruz by scoring a try of his own. His 53rd minute score seemed to be the final nail in the coffin for Os Cobras.

Paraguayan test winger Renata Cardona came off the bench to provide an impact. He went over for two tries, doing so either side of another to replacement scrum-half Ignacio Inchauspe.

Both teams will play again on Tuesday. In round four of SLAR the Olímpia Lions face Los Jaguares XV. They are expected to rotate heavily for that match. Os Cobras Brasil XV will be looking for their first win. They face the other winless team thus far, Los Cafeteros Pro.

SCORING

COBRAS 8
Try: Arruda (40′)
Conversion:
Penalty: Duque (26′)
Yellow Card: Arruda (50′), Melo (69′)

OLÍMPIA LIONS 44
Try: Bogado (5′), Gandini (14′), Santa Cruz (18′), Herrera (53′), Cardona (60′, 76′), Inchauspe (73′)
Conversion: Urbieta (6′, 15′), Ledesma (74′)
Penalty: Urbieta (30′)

TEAMS

COBRAS
1 Caique Silva, 2 Yan Rosetti, 3 Juan Román González, 4 Cléber Días, 5 Gabriel Paganini, 6 Adrio de Melo, 7 Matheus Claudio, 8 André Arruda, 9 Felipe Cunha, 10 Josh Reeves, 11 Daniel Lima, 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery (capt.), 14 Robert Tenorio, 15 Daniel Sancery

Replacements: 16 Endy Willian, 17 Brendon Alves Pinheiro, 18 Jardel Vettorato, 19 Alexandre Alves, 20 Arthur Bergo, 21 Douglas Rauth, 22 Franco Giudice, 23 Marcos de Sanctis

OLÍMPIA LIONS
1 Martín Sitjar, 2 Axel Zapata (capt.), 3 Rodrigo Martínez, 4 Carlos Repetto, 5 Mauro Rebussone, 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara, 7 Lucas Santa Cruz, 8 Ignacio Gandini, 9 Joaquín Pellandini, 10 Sebastián Urbieta, 11 Renato Cardona, 12 Franco Bullentini, 13 Francisco Diez, 14 Leopoldo Herrera, 15 Martín Bogado

Replacements: 16 Mariano Muntaner, 17 Javier Díaz, 18 Lucas Favre, 19 Mariano Garcete, 20, Marcos Riquelme, 21, Ignacio Inchauspe, 22 Máximo Ledesma, 23 Diego Argaña

Referee: Tomás Bertazza (Argentina)