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Os Cobras Brasil XV begin 2022 with a 33-man roster for the upcoming Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR) season. The season will be the second involving Os Cobras and the third involving Brazil; Corinthians Rugby compete in the inaugural SLAR season in 2020.
The roster contains the 33 players who will travel from Brazil to Chile. Additional names may be added; if so, they could include players from Argentina. Indeed, Argentines on the Cafeteros Pro roster will join the team in Chile not in Colombia.
The roster is presently Brazilian-centric. That is to say that the players are predominantly either homegrown Brazilian players or they are eligible to represent Brazil in test matches. Prop Mariano Filomena and center Simon Bienvenu have been recruited from abroad. They are from Argentina and France respectively.
COBRAS ROSTER – SLAR 2022
PROP
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Alexandre Alves | 8 |
| André Brandão | – |
| Brendon Alves | – |
| Henrique Ferreira | 1 |
| Joel Ramírez | 1 |
| Mariano Filomeno | Argentina XV |
Six props are presently on the roster. Argentine Mariano Filomeno joins five young Brazilians. The roster for 2022 sees a changing of the guard. Lucas Abud, Matheus Rocha, Wilton Rebolo, Pedro Bengaló and Caique Silva are either playing abroad or not on the Cobras’ roster. André Brandão is also training at hooker.
HOOKER
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Willian Endy | 9 |
| David Muller | – |
| Leonardo de Souza | 1 |
Hooker is similar to prop. The roster presently has three names with Leonardo de Souza doubling as a prop. Yan Rosetti is notably absent. He will turn 30 during the SLAR season. David Muller plays both hooker and flanker.
SECOND-ROW
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Cléber Días | 38 |
| Kauã Guimarães | 1 |
| Gabriel Oliveira | 1 |
| Gabriel Paganini | 29 |
Cléber Días is back from Portugal to play again for Os Cobras. He and Gabriel Paganini are highly experienced second-rowers. They are joined by two young players in Kauã Guimarães and Gabriel Oliveira. Oliveira is a bright prospect for Brazil at the age of 20.
BACK-ROW
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| André Arruda | 37 |
| Matheus Cláudio | 10 |
| Adrio Melo | 8 |
| Devon Müller | 2 |
| Arthur Bergo | 30 |
André Arruda was Os Cobras’ player of the season in 2021. This was on the back of several years as Brazil’s stand-out forward. He will have plenty of quality support with Cléber Díaz able to move from second-row to flanker, former Utah Warrior Arthur Bergo on the roster and both Adrio Melo and Matheus Cláudio being highly reliable players.
SCRUM-HALF
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Laurent Bourda-Couhet | 25 |
| Douglas Rauth | 9 |
Just two scrum-halves are presently on the 33-man roster. Both are capped by Brazil. Laurent Bourda-Couhet moved from France to Brazil for the purposes of rugby. Douglas Rauth had a strong 2021 and will carry a heavy load for Os Cobras again in 2022.
FLY HALF
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Carlos Moura | – |
| Lucas Spago | 7 |
| Lucas Tranquez | 42 |
Lucas Spago is set to be the starting fly half. Os Cobras have not included New Zealander Joshua Reeves. Perhaps, it is part of the changing of the guard with Brazil building towards the Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifiers? Lucas Tranquez has mainly played at fullback for Brazil but is presently training at fly half. Carlos Moura is a newcomer from Jacareí in the heartland of Brazilian rugby.
CENTER
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Simon Bienvenu | France 7’s |
| Pedro Goulart | – |
| Gabriel Quirino | 2 |
| Joel Santos | – |
| Victor Souza | – |
The centers are a new-look. There is no place for Felipe Sancery at present and Pedro Lopez, who impressed so much for Brazil in Africa in November, is also not on the roster. France’s Simon Bienvenu joins to add to his resumé which also includes time playing Major League Rugby (MLR) for Austin. Brazil age-grade representative Pedro Goulart is a prospect for 2022. He is from Monte Grande in Argentina
WING
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Daniel Lima | 13 |
| Robert Tenório | 23 |
| Sérgio Luna | – |
Daniel Lima and Robert Tenório are back for SLAR 2022. They are to be joined by SLAR rookie Sérgio Luna. Played from other positions are expected to cover wing and Tenório may again also feature at center as he has done in the past.
FULLBACK
| PLAYER | CAPS |
| Daniel Sancery | 38 |
| Robson Moraes | 1 |
Fullback features a veteran of the test arena and a breakthrough player. Daniel Sancery has featured for Brazil in multiple RWC qualifying campaigns. Robson Moraes made a strong debut for his country in 2021.
