RWC 2023 Qualifiers Preview – Brazil vs Paraguay

Brazil play host to Paraguay on Saturday. The match is a winner-takes-all elimination contest. The winner will advance to the finals of the South American region’s RWC 2023 qualifiers. The fixture is a welcome return; it is to be the first match between the countries in two years.

Brazil’s use to SLAR for the test team is apparent. The team named is loaded with 14 Cobras. Mateo Dell’Acqua has flown in from Italy. He joins Gabriel Paganini in the second-row. Lorenzo Massari has also arrived from Italy. He will feature from the bench.

Os Tupis have an experienced side. Caique Silva, Yan Rosetti, and Matheus Rocha bring years together in Brazil’s High Performance set-up in São Paulo. The same applies to back-rowers Cléber Días, Matheus Cláudio, and André Arruda.

Felipe Cunha starts ahead of Douglas Rauth. He will join New Zealander Joshua Reeves in the halves. The Brazilian Matt Giteau, Moisés Duque starts at inside center forming a mid-field with captain Felipe Sancery. Daniel Lima, Lucas Tranquez, and Daniel Sancery form the back-three.

Brazilian prop Caique Silva commented:

“We are all focused on Paraguay, who we know will give us a very physical match. They showed that in the SLAR.”

Silva’s comment is backed-up by Paraguay’s starting line-up. The front-row of Ivan Daniel Cabral, Lucas Otaño, and Martín Sitjar is large. Sitjar will captain the side. He was an outstanding performer in the scrum in SLAR. Another stand-out Paraguayan was Mariano Garcete. He will start in the second-row.

The back-row contains Carlos Plate, a player whose SLAR game time came in the second-row. He joins Mateo Rodríguez, and vice-captain Marcos Riquelme in the back-row trio.

The backs see SLAR regulars Sebastián Urbieta, Renato Cardona, Diego Argaña, and Juan González all starting. Marcelo Matiauda also starts; he had some opportunities in Olímpia Lions colors. All told, the backs are undeniably the best Paraguay has fielded against Brazil in the professional era.

Exposure to High Performance has proven to improve players and teams in South America. The RWC qualifier will be the first snap-shot of what this means for Paraguay in a test match.

Brazil and Paraguay have a long history of international rugby competition. The neighbors first match was in 1970 with brazil winning in Asunción. The overall record is 15 wins for Brazil; eleven wins for Paraguay. Brazil has won the five most recent matches.

Os Tupis enter the RWC 2023 qualifier as favorites. Brazil’s activities in 2020 combined with recent results and having a team packed with SLAR players gives Brazil the edge. ARN projects a Brazilian victory to thus secure a place in the finals in Montevideo next month against Uruguay and the winner of Chile vs Colombia.

 

BRAZIL
1 Caique Silva, 2 Yan Rosetti, 3 Matheus Rocha, 4 Mateo Dell’Acqua, 5 Gabriel Paganini, 6 Cléber Días, 7 Matheus Cláudio, 8 André Arruda, 9  Felipe Cunha, 10 Joshua Reeves, 11 Daniel Lima, 12 Moisés Duque, 13 Felipe Sancery (capt.), 14 Lucas Tranquez, 15 Daniel Sancery

Replacements: 16 Leonardo de Souza, 17 Leonel Moreno, 18 Jardel Vettorato, 19 Felipe Rosa, 20 Adrio de Melo, 21 Douglas Rauth, 22 Lucas Spago, 23 Lorenzo Massari

PARAGUAY
1 Ivan Daniel Cabral, 2 Lucas Otaño, 3 Martín Sitjar (capt.), 4 Mariano Garcete, 5 José Montiel, 6 Mateo Rodríguez, 7 Carlos Plate, 8 Marcos Riquelme (vice-capt.), 9 Gonzalo Bareiro, 10 Sebastián Urbieta, 11 Renato Cardona, 12 Camilo Orrego, 13 Diego Argaña, 14 Marcelo Matiauda, 15 Juan González

Replacements: 16 Gastón Salvi, 17 Camilo Blasco, 18 Enrique Quinteros, 19 Leonardo Glizt, 20 Ariel Nuñez, 21 Gastón Navas, 22 Tomás Mussi, 23 Daniel Chilavert

Date: Saturday, June 26
Kick-Off: 7:00pm (Brasília); 6:00pm (Asunción)
Venue: Estadio Martins Pereira (Sao José dos Campos, Brazil)
Referee: Damián Schneider (Argentina)
Assistant Referees: Cauá Ricardo (Brazil), Víctor Barbosa (Brazil)
TMO: Alejandro Longres (Uruguay)
Broadcasts: ESPN (Latina Americana); ESPN (Brasil); Twitch

Historical Results
2019-05-11 – Paraguay 10, Brazil 66 (Asunción, Paraguay)
2017-05-26 – Brazil 57, Paraguay 06 (São Paulo, Brazil)
2016-05-07 – Paraguay 21, Brazil 32 (Asunción, Paraguay)
2015-05-10 – Brazil 10, Paraguay 21 (Bento Gonçalves, Brazil)
2014-11-29 – Brazil 21, Paraguay 13 (São José dos Campos, Brazil)
2014-05-10 – Paraguay 31, Brazil 24 (Asunción, Paraguay)
2012-10-27 – Brazil 35, Paraguay 22 (São Paulo, Brazil)
2011-05-20 – Brazil 51, Paraguay 14 (Puerto Iguazú, Argentina)
2010-05-19 – Brazil 23, Paraguay 18 (La Reina, Chile)
2009-05-02 – Brazil 36, Paraguay 21 (Montevideo, Uruguay)
2008-06-26 – Paraguay 6, Brazil 15 (Asunción, Paraguay)
2005-10-02 – Paraguay 45, Brazil 08 (Asunción, Paraguay)
2004-10-16 – Brazil 17, Paraguay 22 (São Paulo, Brazil)
2003-05-23 – Paraguay 27, Brazil 16 (Asunción, Paraguay)
2002-04-20 – Brazil 13, Paraguay 14 (Florianopolis, Brazil)
2001-09-07 – Paraguay 21, Brazil 13 (Asunción, Paraguay)
1993-10-10 – Paraguay 48, Brazil 17 (Asunción, Paraguay)
1991-09-07 – Brazil 33, Paraguay 06 (São Paulo, Brazil)
1989-10-10 – Brazil 40, Paraguay 11 (Montevideo, Uruguay)
1981-05-23 – Paraguay 35, Brazil 3 (Montevideo, Uruguay)
1979-10-12 – Brazil 16, Paraguay 06 (Santiago, Chile)
1977-10-27 – Paraguay 25, Brazil 13 (Tucumán, Argentina)
1975-09-21 – Paraguay 06, Brazil 19 (Asunción, Paraguay)
1973-10-13 – Brazil 22, Paraguay 03 (São Paulo, Brazil)
1971-10-10 – Paraguay 12, Brazil 06 (Montevideo, Uruguay)
1970-09-05 – Paraguay 03, Brazil 12 (Asunción, Paraguay)

OVERALL RESULTS
Brazil 15 Wins
Paraguay  11 Wins