Jaguares XV beat Cobras to remain undefeated in SLAR

Los Jaguares XV remain unbeaten in the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). The Argentine side were 62-12 winners in their round six match this evening in Montevideo, Uruguay. The bonus point win move the team further above the second placed Peñarol.

The win was by ten tries to two. Unlike in prior matches, the goal-kicking was not regularly on target; Tomás Albornoz kicked at a 60% rate for the match. His first strike was early on, though it was not for the game’s first try.

Os Cobras Brasil XV had the dream start; flanker Adrio de Melo scored a 4th minute try. It was unconverted to give the Brazilians a 5-0 lead. Albornoz’ first conversion put Los Jaguares XV in front and they remained in control thereafter. The first try saw tight head Juan Pablo Zeiss crashing over. He did so by going low and beating three defenders.

The next to score was Gerónimo Prisciantelli. He took his opportunity to start at fullback to be named man of the match. He was a constant threat with ball in hand and highly successfully from fullback with the kick return. His try involved pace and footwork as he found he way through and around defenders to run in from half way.

Another to take his starting opportunity with both hands was Tomás Bernasconi. The N8 scored a double. His first try was his team’s third. It saw him slicing through a hole as the Cobras defense was unable to stay firm against the onslaught from Los Jaguares XV forwards.

Hooker Beltrán Salese crossed for the fourth try. It gave Los Jaguares XV the bonus point. He was replaced shortly thereafter. In a theme of the contest, early substitutions were used by both teams. One regular who was not replaced was Martín Cancelliere. The left winger crossed for the final score of the opening half.

The Argentine team’s five first half tries were replicated in the second. The same is true of the Brazilian team. Both teams effectively doubled their first half total. What was 33-5 at half-time was 62-12 at the game’s completion.

Unlike the first, Os Cobras were unable to be competitive in the second half. Indeed, while there had been flashy of hope from Os Cobras and sustained attack in the opening half, the second half saw the Argentines playing the vast majority of the rugby.

When Los Jaguares XV did not find their way to the tryline they were repeatedly penalized deep within the opposition 22. Os Cobras XV had onbe chance and they took it. Santiago Grippo threw an attacking lineout and latched on to the back of a rolling maul. The players celebrated the push-over try as a battle well and truly won.

Both teams will play again on Friday. Os Cobras will take on Peñarol while Los Jaguares XV will face Los Cafeteros Pro. Hopes of a place in the play-off’s will require Os Cobras to overturn a result from the first half of the tournament. Their match against Peñarol was their second strongest showing.

SCORING

COBRAS – 12
Try: de Melo (4′), Grippo (63′)
Conversion: Duque 1/2 (64′)

JAGUARES XV – 62
Try: Zeiss (9′), Prisciantelli (22′), Bernasconi 2 (30′, 80′), Salese (35′), M Cancelliere (39′), González (41′), Segura 2 (46′, 71′), Ezcurra (58′)
Conversion: Albornoz 6/10 (9′ 31′, 36′ 40′, 42′, 80′)
Yellow Card: Iriate (66′)

TEAMS

COBRAS
1 Caique Silva, 2 Yan Rosetti, 3 Matheus Rocha, 4 Manuel Bernstein, 5 Cléber Días, 6 Arthur Bergo, 7 Adrio de Melo, 8 André Arruda, 9 Douglas Rauth, 10 Joshua Reeves, 11 Daniel Lima, 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery (capt.), 14 Robert Tenorio, 15 Daniel Sancery

Replacements: 16 Santiago Grippo, 17 Leonel Moreno, 18 Alejandro Luna, 19 Gabriel Paganini, 20 Matheus Claudio, 21 Laurent Bourda-Couhet, 22 Lucas Spago, 23 Franco Guidice

JAGUARES XV
1 Federico Wegrzyn, 2 Beltrán Salese, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Federico Gutiérrez, 5 Franco Molina, 6 Lautaro Bavaro, 7 Juan Martín González, 8 Tomás Bernasconi, 9 Felipe Ezcurra (capt.), 10 Tomás Albornoz, 11 Martín Cancelliere, 12 Juan Pablo Castro, 13 Agustín Segura, 14 Sebastián Cancelliere, 15 Gerónimo Prisciantelli

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Francisco Minervino, 18 Luciano Torres, 19 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 20 Martín Vaca, 21 Rafael Iriarte, 22 Juan Bautista Daireaux, 23 Santiago Ruiz

Venue: Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
Referee: Frank Méndez (Chile)