Americas Pacific Challenge – Round 2 Preview

The second round of the 2021 Americas Pacific Challenge takes place on Tuesday with all six teams now taking full part. Both the USA Selects and Argentina XV will make their first appearances of the tournament. Chile ‘A’ and Uruguay ‘A’ were the two winners in the first round and will now meet in the final match of Round 2.

All matches will take place at the Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo. USA Rugby will stream the Brazil ‘A’ vs USA Selects match on their YouTube page. ESPN and Star Plus will broadcast in South America.

 

BRAZIL ‘A’ vs USA SELECTS
Tuesday, October 26, Estadio Charrúa
12:30 local (08:30 Pacific, 11:30 Eastern)

The USA has finally arrived in Montevideo and the Selects will open their account against Brazil ‘A’ after seeing their scheduled opener against the Argentina XV cancelled. Utah Warriors captain Bailey Wilson reprises his leadership role in a side that contains 10 Major League Rugby players in the starting lineup and three more on the bench.

Starting hooker George Sharpe and reserve Joey Backe were selected in the 2021 MLR draft. UCLA flyhalf Shane Barry and Central Washington trio Ivan Pula, Tia’i Vavao, and Jack Wendling all remain collegiate players. Wendling recently debuted on the World Sevens Series.

Brazil were beaten by Uruguay ‘A’ in their first match on Friday but showed improvement in the second half. They have opted for continuity with only three changes to the starting lineup.

Alexandre Alves replaces namesake Brendon Alves at loosehead prop, with Leonardo de Souza coming in at hooker and Endy Willian dropping to the bench. Robson Morais starts on the wing in place of Victor Domingues, and David Müller is named as a replacement flanker on the bench.

BRAZIL ‘A’
1 Alexandre Alves, 2 Leonardo de Souza, 3 Henrique Ferreira, 4 Gabriel Paganini, 5 Kauã Guimarães, 6 Pedro Aparecido, 7 Adrio de Melo, 8 Matheus Cláudio (capt.), 9 Douglas Rauth, 10 Lucas Spago, 11 Robson Morais, 12 Joel Santos, 13 Gabriel Quirino, 14 Robert Tenório, 15 Daniel Lima

Replacements: 16 Endy Willian, 17 Piero Pozzi, 18 Joel Ramírez, 19 Gabriel Oliveira, 20 David Müller, 21 Felipe Cunha, 22 Carlos Moura, 23 Victor Domingues

USA SELECTS
1 Ivan Pula, 2 George Sharpe, 3 Brian Nault, 4 Charlie Hewitt, 5 Ben Mitchell, 6 Justin Johnson, 7 Bailey Wilson (capt.), 8 Kyle Breytenbach, 9 Sean Yacoubian, 10 Shane Barry, 11 Harry Barlow, 12 Tia’i Vavao, 13 Jack Wendling, 14 Patrick Madden, 15 Owen Sheehy

Replacements: 16 Joey Backe, 17 Alex Lopeti, 18 Elijah Hayes, 19 Mike Matarazzo, 20 Colin Turner, 21 Karl Keane, 22 Sam Walsh, 23 Nolan Tuamoheloa

Referee: Matías Esteban (Uruguay)
Assistants: Gonzalo de Achaval (Argentina) & Tomás Bertazza (Argentina)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (Uruguay)

 

 

ARGENTINA XV vs PARAGUAY ‘A’
Tuesday, October 26, Estadio Charrúa
15:30 local (11:30 Pacific, 14:30 Eastern)

After being forced to sit out the opening round due to the travel complications experienced by the USA Selects, the Argentina XV are now ready to stretch their legs against a weary Paraguay ‘A’ side who were soundly defeated by Chile ‘A’ in their first match.

It’s an intimidating selection from the Argentines with only Sevens Series regular Santiago Mare not appearing in SLAR this season. Three fully-capped Pumas take the field in props Rodrigo Martinez and Juan Pablo Zeiss, and flanker Santiago Grondona.

Paraguay have rung the changes with seven new faces in the run-on side. Diego Caballero and Estefano Aranda are the new props with Alejandro Montiel replacing Mariano Garcete at lock. Ariel Nuñez takes over the captaincy from Martín Sitjar in an identical back row that started against the Chileans.

Gonzalo Villalba comes in at scrumhalf with Martín Samudio tagging in for Tomás Mussi at inside center. Gianfranco Parodi and Alejandro Heyn start at wing and fullback respectively. On the bench there is a first appearance for flanker Juan José Agüero in place of Nicolás Arias.

ARGENTINA XV
1 Rodrigo Martínez, 2 Ignacio Ruiz, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 5 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 6 Santiago Grondona, 7 Jerónimo Gomez Vara, 8 Conrado Roura, 9 Joaquín Pellandini, 10 Martín Elías, 11 Juan Pablo Castro, 12 Santiago Mare, 13 Tomás Cubilla (capt.), 14 Martín Bogado, 15 Gerónimo Prisciantelli

Replacements: 16 Mariano Muntaner, 17 Nicolás Revol, 18 Javier Coronel, 19 Lucio Anconetani, 20 Bautista Pedemonte, 21 Rafael Iriarte, 22 Tomás Suárez Folch, 23 Francisco Pisani Caride

PARAGUAY ‘A’
1 Diego Caballero, 2 Lucas Otaño, 3 Estefano Aranda, 4 Guillermo López, 5 Alejandro Montiel, 6 Matías Benítez, 7 Ariel Nuñez (capt.), 8 Lautaro Britez, 9 Gonzalo Villalba, 10 Sebastián Urbieta, 11 Gianfranco Parodi, 12 Martín Samudio, 13 Daniel Chilavert, 14 Arturo López, 15 Alejandro Heyn

Replacements: 16 Gastón Salvi, 17 César Pérez, 18 Luciano Weston, 19 Mariano Garcete, 20 Elías Torres, 21 Juan José Agüero, 22 Tomás Mussi, 23 Ignacio González

Referee: Frank Méndez (Chile)
Assistants: Matías Esteban (Uruguay) & Cauã Ricardo (Brazil)
TMO: Francisco González (Uruguay)

 

CHILE ‘A’ vs URUGUAY ‘A’
Tuesday, October 26, Estadio Charrúa
18:30 local (14:30 Pacific, 17:30 Eastern)

A tantalizing fixture between the two winners of the opening round sees Chile ‘A’ taking on Uruguay ‘A’. The visitors have added experience to their pack by starting second row Agustín Fernández and Cóndores flanker Raimundo Martínez, with Ernesto Tchimino coming in at No8.

There is only one change meanwhile in the backs with Gaspar Moltedo coming in for Cristóbal Game on the wing. It’s again a 6-2 split on the bench with Benjamín Videla and Tomás Álvarado the only replacements available in the backs.

For Uruguay there is added bulk up front in Teros hooker Guillermo Pujadas and tighthead prop Mathias Franco. The starting lineup otherwise stays the same with Trébol No8 Sidney Werner and Lobos fullback Ignacio Álvarez joining the bench.

CHILE ‘A’
1 Vittorio Lastra, 2 Diego Escobar, 3 Esteban Inostroza, 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Agustín Fernández, 6 Raimundo Martínez, 7 Thomas Orchard, 8 Ernesto Tchimino, 9 Lukas Carvallo (capt.), 10 Diego Warnken, 11 Vicente Tredinick, 12 Juan Ignacio Piña, 13 Clemente Armstrong, 14 Gaspar Moltedo, 15 Luca Strabucchi

Replacements: 16 Jorge Delgado, 17 Salvador Lues, 18 Mauricio Gómez, 19 Maximiliano Silva, 20 Agustín Pérez, 21 Joaquín Milesi, 22 Benjamín Videla, 23 Tomás Álvarado

URUGUAY ‘A’
1 Mateo Perillo, 2 Guillermo Pujadas, 3 Mathias Franco, 4 Felipe Aliaga, 5 Juanjuan Garese (capt.), 6 Lucas Bianchi, 7 Tomás Etcheverry, 8 Carlos Deus, 9 Santiago Álvarez, 10 Matías D’Avanzo, 11 Bautista Basso, 12 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 13 Koba Brazionis, 14 Mateo Viñals, 15 Baltazar Amaya

Replacements: 16 Emiliano Faccennini, 17 Ignacio Péculo, 18 Santiago Bonasso, 19 Sidney Werner, 20 Lucas Piriz, 21 Juan Zuccarino, 22 Santiago Percivale, 23 Ignacio Álvarez

Referee: Tomás Bertazza (Argentina)
Assistants: Gonzalo de Achaval (Argentina) & Cauã Ricardo (Brazil)
TMO: Francisco Pesce (Uruguay)