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Peñarol claimed a convincing win over Los Cafeteros Pro. The round three result sees Peñarol top of the standings in the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). The Uruguayans have a 3-0 record. This was the goal set out by the team for this point of the SLAR season.
Peñarol outscored Los Cafeteros Pro by seven tries to zero. Three of them were scored in the opening twenty minutes and three others came in the final seven minutes. The two extremes of the match saw Peñarol enjoying far more possession and territory. In between the Colombian side competed well.
The opening poins of the match went to Los Cafeteros Pro. Nicolás Roger slotted a 5th minute penalty. It was his only shot at goal all match. Several later opportunities were declined as Los Cafeteros Pro looked to score tries by kicking for the corner. The tactic failed to produce points. This was the case several times between the 20th and 30th minutes and again between the 40th and 50th minutes. Knock-ons and poor Peñarol defense was to blame.
Peñarol’s opening try was a reminder of the details of professional rugby. Martín Roger kicked off. The ball went high and long towards the 22. Diver Ceballos looked to catch it only there was nobody to lift him and the ball sailed over his reach. Tomás Inciarte chased and caught the kick. His try punished the Colombian side.
Four minutes later and Peçnarol were in again. This time flanker Manuel Ardao crossed by picking up a loose Peñarol pass and beating defenders to the line. Then in the 21st minute Peñarol won a scrum against the head. After several phases Matías Benítez barged over for the try. Martín Roger converted all three tries to give Peñarol a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter.
The next score did not come until well into the second half. Replacement hooker Facundo Gattas scored Peñarol’s fourth to give the Uruguayan side a bonus point.
Peñarol and Los Cafeteros Pro traded yellow cards. It opened up space, though when the scoring resumed the game was into its final stages. Peñarol ran in three late tries. Mateo Viñals scored two and replacement scrum half Manuel Nogúes also scored. The pick of the tries was Viñal’s first. The winger scored following a break from fellow winger Federico Favaro.
Los Cafeteros Pro and Peñarol will play again on Tuesday. The Colombians will take on Os Cobras Brasil XV while Peñarol will face Los Jaguares XV.
SCORING
PEÑAROL (45)
Try: Inciarte (5′), Ardao (11′) Benítez (21′), Gattas (60′), Viñals 2 (73′, 80′), Nogués (77′)
Conversion: M Roger 3/3 (5′, 12′, 22′), Favaro 2/4 (74′, 78′)
Yellow Card: Dos Santos (54′)
CAFETEROS PRO (3)
Penalty: N Roger (5′)
Yellow Card: Pérez (68′)
TEAMS
PEÑAROL
1 Matías Benítez, 2 Ezequiel Ramos, 3 Diego Arbelo, 4 Felipe Aliaga, 5 Nahuel Milan, 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 Eric Dos Santos, 8 Conrado Roura, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Martín Roger, 11 Mateo Viñals, 12 Nicolás Freitas (capt.), 13 Tomás Inciarte, 14 Federico Favaro, 15 Rodrigo Silva
Replacements: 16 Facundo Gattas, 17 Facundo Pomponio, 18 Mateo Perillo, 19 Carlos Deus, 20 Lucas Bianchi, 21 Manuel Nogues, 22 Andrés Vilaseca, 23 Baltazar Amaya
CAFETEROS PRO
1 Javier Corvalán, 2 Agustín Acosta, 3 Diego Posada, 4 Lautaro Simes, 5 Ramiro Tallone, 6 Diver Ceballos, 7 Felipe Puertas, 8 Gerson Ortíz, 9 Gonzalo García (capt.), 10 Nicolás Roger, 11 Alejandro Navarro, 12 Cristian Rodallegas, 13 Tomás García, 14 Jhon Arley Urrutia, 15 Andrés Álvarez
Replacements: 16 Jorge Álvarez, 17 Yani Pérez, 18 Brayhan Pérez, 19 Jhon Álvarez, 20 Sebastián Zapata, 21 Julián Navarro, 22 Jhojan Ortiz, 23 Álvaro Gamara
Referee: Damian Schneider (Argentina)
