SLAR 2022 – Jaguares XV vs Peñarol – ARN Guide

In a top-of-the-table battle, Los Jaguares XV and Peñarol will collide in Ciudad del Este on Saturday. The Argentina vs Uruguay SLAR match-up is a rematch of the 2021 SLAR Final, a competitive fixture won by the Argentines.

Yet, the Jaguares XV vs Peñarol match is different than logic would determine. In a stunning series of outcomes, both teams were beaten in last weekend’s round of the Súper Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR). Los Jaguares XV fell to their first ever loss in tournament history, losing to Selknam in Chile while Peñarol suffered their first loss against the Olímpia Lions, losing 15-13 in Paraguay.

Los Jaguares XV, Peñarol and Selknam all go into round four of SLAR 2022 on 10 competition points. The losing team of Los Jaguares XV Peñarol will thus fall to third or lower. To add further spice to the showdown, players from both teams need to step up their performances if they hope to be selected for international duty in the July 2022 Internationals.

Ignacio Fernández Lobbe has named a Los Jaguares XV line-up that feels like a step up from prior rounds. It is a side featuring two Pumas in loose head Mayco Vivas and fullback Ignacio Mendy. Former Super Rugby player Bautista Pedemonte joins them in the starting line-up at N8. The match will mark his starting debut in SLAR.

In all there are four changes from the side that fell to a shock upset defeat against Selknam last Friday. The scrum and lineout were two areas that Selknam got the better of Los Jaguares XV. Fernández Lobbe has responded by replacing two of the three front-rowers. Bautista Bernasconi, and Lautaro Caro Saisi join Vivas up front.

The backs see one crucial change; Santiago Mare makes way for Gerónimo Prisciantelli at fly half. It is a notable move given Mare had been labeled the top Argentine SLAR fly half; the player Michael Cheika was most likely to consider for the July Internationals against Scotland.

Prisciantelli has had a good start to SLAR 2022 but this match will be his first at fly half. he has previously been fullback and, in 2021, he played in he centers. He will be joined by highly promising names throughout the backs including wingers Martín Bogado, and Tomás Cubilla, centers Juan Pablo Castro, and Agustín Segura, and Mendy at fullback.

Peñarol are coached by a former teammate of Fernández Lobbe, Pablo Bouza. The two men locked the scrum together on occasion for Los Pumas. Bouza’s line-up is very close to one that could play a test match in the Americas Rugby Championship. Aside from Nahuel Milan, the starting players are all Uruguayans. Milan will be Mr. Reliable for Peñarol in the lineout.

A minor surprise sees the inform Guillermo Pujadas on the bench rather than starting at hooker. This sees an opportunity for the uncapped Emiliano Faccenini. He joins Matías Benítez, and Juan Echeverría up-front; two men with plenty of experience.

Eric Dosantos continues in the second-row, an interesting option considering his height. The taller Lucas Bianchi starts at flanker alongside Teros regulars Santiago Civetta, and Manuel Ardao.

In the backs Tomás Inciarte and Felipe Etcheverry will be the starting halves. They are a potential back-up plan for Uruguay at RWC 2023 should Santiago Arata and Felipe Berchesi require a rest. Andrés Vilaseca again captains the side from inside center while rookie Bautista Basso has a start in the back-three alongside the highly promising Mateo Viñals, and veteran fullback Rodrigo Silva.

The round four SLAR 2022 match between Los Jaguares XV and Peñarol is to be the fourth match between the teams. Los Jaguares XV has won all prior meetings. The three matches all took place in 2021. Los Jaguares XV won 46-17 in Chile and 42-18 in Uruguay during the regular season. The Argentines then won the SLAR 2021 final by downing Peñarol 36-28, also in Uruguay. The Rio de la Plata rivalry will add a new chapter with a first meeting between the teams in Paraguay.

 

TEAMS

JAGUARES XV
1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 3 Lautaro Caro Saisi, 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 5 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 6 Jerónimo Gómez Vara, 7 Manuel Bernstein, 8 Bautista Pedemonte, 9 Rafael Iriarte, 10 Gerónimo Prisciantelli, 11 Martín Bogado, 12 Juan Pablo Castro, 13 Agustín Segura, 14 Tomás Cubilla (capt.), 15 Ignacio Mendy

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Nicolás Revol Pitt, 18 Javier Coronel, 19 Lucio Anconetani, 20 Santiago Ruiz, 21 Joaquín Pellandini, 22 Tomás Suárez Folch, 23 Iñaki Delguy

PENAROL
1 Matías Benítez, 2 Emiliano Faccenini, 3 Juan Echeverría, 4 Eric Dosantos, 5 Nahuel Milan, 6 Lucas Bianchi, 7 Santiago Civetta, 8 Manuel Ardao, 9 Tomás Inciarte, 10 Felipe Etcheverry, 11 Bautista Basso, 12 Andrés Vilaseca (capt.), 13 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 14 Mateo Viñals, 15 Rodrigo Silva

Replacements: 16 Guillermo Pujadas, 17 Mateo Perillo, 18 Ignacio Perillo, 19 Diego Magno, 20 Tomás Etcheverry, 21 Santiago Álvarez, 22 Nicolás Roger, 23 Baltazar Amaya

Date: Saturday, April 02, 2022
Kick-Off: 9pm (Asunción); 10pm (Buenos Aires); 10pm (Montevideo)
Venue: 3 de Febrero, Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
Referee: Francisco González (Uruguay)

HISTORICAL RESULTS
2021-04-04 – Jaguares XV 46, Peñarol 17 (Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile)
2021-05-01 – Peñarol 18, Jaguares XV 42 (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, Uruguay)
2021-04-04 – Peñarol 28, Jaguares XV 36 (Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, Uruguay)